Nothing Comes Easily
by captain starbuck
Summary: A new friend and an old friend help Arizona. Rated M mostly for language and for later chapters.
1. I'm a Terrible Person

Nothing Comes Easily by captstarbuck

**A new friend helps Arizona. **

**AN: This is, for the most part, Calzona, but Arizona-centric, with lots of other Grey's characters. It's slightly AU/Mostly Canon. This starts just before Arizona returns from Africa and varies a bit in the story of bringing them back together. Let's just say I bend the timeline and modify a few scenes to suit my own purposes.**

**AN: A big thanks to my betareader, "Lt." Stacy D'Lacy**

**Disclaimers – ****All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual. (****I don't own any of the characters from Grey's Anatomy. All of that belongs to Shondaland et al. I just wanted to take them out and play)**

Chapter One – I'm a Terrible Person

After flying for three hours with three stops along the way (_just to get out of freakin' Malawi_ she grumbled to herself), and another twelve hour flight from Johannesburg to London, it wasn't until she boarded the flight for Boston that it hit Arizona Robbins that she was really going back to Seattle. That was when the anxiety and fear settled in full bore. Getting out of Malawi was stressful in its own right, and she'd only managed a few hours of restless sleep on the way to London, getting up every few hours to stretch her legs. She wasn't going to take any chances on developing blood clots. _Just my luck – I'd make it back to Seattle only to die of a blood clot_, she thought.

Making last minute flight reservations had put a sizable dent in her bank account, and the flights weren't the best arrangements. If she'd had time, she knew she could have had less connections and less flying. The only saving grace was that she was flying first-class to Boston and to Seattle. _At least those seats will be comfortable. Twelve hours in coach hadn't been fun one bit. _She sighed. With Callie and her trust fund, they'd always flown first class on domestic flights. She knew that had they ever taken the trip to Spain, they would have been flying business class.

_Less than twenty-four hours and I'll be home_, she thought as buckled her seat belt. _Home. Is it even home anymore? Will Callie still want me? Will she still even speak to me?_

She felt the anxiety rise up again and tears filled her eyes.

An hour later, and she still couldn't stop the tears. She leaned forward and reached for her purse under the seat in front of her. She rummaged through each compartment, mumbling to herself.

"Gum, Lifesavers, Advil, Tylenol, aspirin, Zyrtec, keys, tampons… no Kleenex? How can I not have any? Unbelievable…."

She felt a nudge and looked down to see a small packet of tissues.

"Help yourself," a soft voice offered.

Arizona looked up and for the first time noticed the woman sitting next to her. The woman was dressed in a green Army officer's uniform. Raised in the military, Arizona eyes instinctively looked for the rank and she quickly spotted the gold oak leaf on her shoulders.

"Thank you, Major – " She then saw the caduceus on the lapel. "Doctor?"

"Dwyer," she finished the statement, holding out her hand. "Kayo Dwyer." She pronounced her last name 'Dwyah', giving away her Boston accent.

"Arizona Robbins," she replied, shaking her hand.

"Everything okay?" the Army doctor asked gently.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine."

The woman's right eyebrow quirked upward. "Sure about that?"

"Yes, really. I'm fine," Arizona repeated as she dabbed the tears from her cheeks with a tissue.

"Uh huh. Right." Her voice had a touch of sarcasm.

Arizona handed the tissue packet back to her.

"No, keep it, I insist." The army officer smiled. "Who knows when you'll be feeling 'fine' again."

Arizona took a closer look at her seatmate. She had a faint sprinkling of freckles across skin that appeared to be permanently reddened from the wind or sun. Her short, thick hair wasn't really red, but it wasn't brown either, and it was shot full of gray. Her eyes were sky blue and even though they seemed sad, they were also the kindest eyes Arizona had ever seen.

She glanced down at the ribbons on the officer's chest. Arizona was well-versed in all things military and she noted a distinguished service medal, a bronze star and a purple heart among the ten ribbons.

"Arizona, huh? Battleship or state?"

"Battleship. I'm surprised you even asked."

"Armed forces here," she replied with a small grin. "Of course I'm going to think battleship first, even if it is the navy."

A ghost of a smile flickered across Arizona's lips. Kayo wondered when the last time was that Arizona had actually smiled.

"Kayo?" Arizona asked, her eyebrow rising.

"My initials. K. O."

Arizona softly chuckled.

"Coming or going?" she asked Arizona.

"Excuse me?"

"Is it the leaving or the arriving that's got you feeling so " *cough* "fine?"

"I – uh – I…" Arizona was rarely at a loss for words. Usually she tended to ramble, but for some reason she didn't know what to say.

Kayo's eyebrow quirked upward again as if to say "well, I'm waiting".

"Are you a psychiatrist?" Arizona finally blurted out.

"Hardly," she scoffed.

They stopped speaking when the flight attendant appeared next to them.

"Anything to drink?" she asked.

Kayo turned to Arizona. "You look like you could use a drink, and I know I do. What'll you have?"

"No, that's okay. Really."

"I insist." Kayo gave Arizona a small smile. "I don't like to drink alone."

"White wine."

"Vodka rocks," Kayo said. "No, make that two." Kayo smiled up at the flight attendant and noticed the name tag. "Actually, Kate, could you just bring the wine, two vodkas, two empty glasses and one glass with ice?"

"Certainly. Anything for our servicemen and women," she replied, emphasizing 'women' with a hint of flirtation in her smile. "I'll be back with your drinks in a few minutes."

When the flight attendant left, Kayo turned back to Arizona. "You haven't answered my question."

"What question?"

"Coming or going?" she repeated.

Arizona pondered the question before finally answering. "Both," she said with a small sigh.

"Fair enough."

"How about you?" Arizona queried.

"I'm not the one who's upset," she said with a smile.

"Are you on leave?"

"I've been mustered out. Just a few days of leave and then I'm done with active duty."

"Where'd you serve?"

"Iraq, then Afghanistan."

The flight attendant handed them their drinks, making sure to lean across Kayo to hand Arizona her wine. Kayo smiled at the tall brunette and thanked her.

"Let me know if you need anything else," she said pointedly to Kayo.

Kayo chuckled to herself and waited until the flight attendent was gone before she emptied one bottle into the empty glass. She quickly downed the shot that she'd poured.

"You'd do well with the people I work," Arizona corrected herself. "_Worked_ with, only their preference was tequila," Arizona commented, sipping her wine.

"As cheap as this brand of vodka is, it's still better than anything I've had in months." She poured the contents of the second mini-bottle over the ice and took a small drink from it. "So, where were you before you got on this plane?"

"Malawi."

"Really? Doing what?"

"Running a clinic for the past six weeks."

"You're a doctor?" Kayo was surprised.

"Yes. Pediatric surgeon."

"Good for you. Malawi?" She shook her head in amazement. "Six weeks you say? I'm impressed. Very impressed."

"Don't be. I was supposed to be there for three years." Her voice was tinged with self-loathing.

Kayo took another sip from her vodka. "Homesick?" she asked.

"Something like that."

Arizona fell silent and the tears welled up in her eyes again.

"I'm sorry," Kayo apologized. "I shouldn't pry."

"No, it's okay," Arizona replied, taking a fresh tissue. "I'm just exhausted. Getting out of Malawi hasn't been easy."

"I can relate. Kandahar, Frankfort and London for me. I was lucky that I did have a short layover in Germany."

The plane's intercom switched on with a loud chime.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is the captain. I've turned on the fasten seatbelts sign once again. Our radar indicates that we'll be heading into some rough weather. Please remain seated until we pass through this area."

"Oh, great," Arizona muttered as she finished her glass of wine. "As if flying wasn't bad enough."

The plane suddenly rocked, then dropped. For Kayo, it wasn't anything out of the ordinary. She'd experienced far worse flying Military Transport. She looked over at the blonde woman. Her eyes were tightly shut and her hand suddenly shot out to grab the armrest between them. Kayo wasn't quick enough to move her arm in time and Arizona's hand clamped down on her arm with surprising strength.

"This is so not happening," Arizona murmured under her breath, her grip tightening on Kayo's arm.

"It's okay, Dr. Robbins. It's just a little turbulence," Kayo said.

"I hate to fly… I really, _really_ hate to fly…"

Kayo gently pried the pale fingers from her arm, only to have Arizona reflexively grab her hand in a vise-like grip when the plane dropped again. Kayo squeezed the frightened doctor's hand in an attempt to reassure her.

"It's okay," Kayo repeated. "Not everyone likes to fly. Just hold on. It'll be over soon."

Kayo let Arizona hang on to her hand while the blonde woman silently mouthed what Kayo first assumed to be prayers, but then she heard a few choice swear words. From what she heard, Arizona was pretty creative with her curses. Kayo would've laughed out loud at the contrast of the pretty woman and her sailor-like swearing had she not been so visibly stressed.

It wasn't until several minutes after the captain announced that they could 'now move around about the cabin' that Arizona finally released her white-knuckled hold on Kayo's hand.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, her cheeks turning going from white to a deep red. "Me and flying… not a good combination."

"Don't apologize. It's not every day I get someone holding my hand in such a death-like grip outside an OR," she said, gently teasing her.

When the flight attendant neared them, Kayo signaled another round of drinks for herself and her seatmate. Arizona couldn't help noticing this time the way Kayo smiled at the flight attendant, called her by name. It was almost as if she were flirting with her. The flight attendant - "Kate" - appeared to be charmed by Kayo. Arizona realized the exchange between the officer and the flight attendant was providing her with a temporary diversion. _Well, that only confirms my suspicions_ _about Dr. Dwyer. The flight attendant… now that's a surprise. Maybe my gaydar needs a tuneup. _

"Here," Kayo said handing Arizona another glass of wine. "This should settle your nerves."

"Thank you."

"So, now that we've shared such an intimate moment, maybe you'd like to tell me why you're feeling so _fine_?"

"I… it's nothing… I don't even know… I'm fine."

"Look, I get that you don't know me, but I'm a good listener. You're clearly upset about something. Maybe talking about it to a complete stranger – one you'll never see again – can help."

Arizona had enough trouble trusting her friends, but a complete stranger? Not gonna happen. And yet… if she didn't talk to someone she was going to completely lose it. She hadn't even told Teddy, let alone her family, that she'd left Malawi.

Maybe it was the nearly two glasses of wine on an almost empty stomach, or maybe it was the lack of sleep over the past forty-eight hours, but Arizona Robbins gave up trying to keep it all inside.

Looking down at the glass in her hand, Arizona whispered in a quiet, shameful voice, "I'm a terrible person."

Kayo leaned in closer. "No, you're not." Her voice was gentle.

"Yes, I am."

"Arizona, a 'terrible person' wouldn't think they were a terrible person."

"All my life I've done the right thing, professionally and personally. And these past three months, I've discovered that I'm not who I thought I was."

"What happened?" she asked.

"I had a fantastic opportunity. An opportunity of a lifetime," she rambled. "I won a grant to work in a clinic in Africa. For three years! I could have helped hundreds of children, maybe thousands." Her face crinkled with her disgust. "And I left."

"Why'd you leave? Did something happen? Were you in danger?"

"No, nothing so dramatic or noble." She started to cry. "I couldn't stop crying. I missed my girlfriend. My girlfriend, whom I left standing in an airport. I left her behind. How could I hurt Callie like that? How could I think that I could be happy in Africa without her? I'm such a failure." Arizona wiped her nose.

It wasn't just the pain of missing Callie, but the realization that she had failed at her grant and had failed to be a good man in a storm. _What a joke_., she thought. _What a cruel joke_.

Kayo took the bereft woman's hand in her own. The kind touch of her hand sent Arizona into another spasm of sobs. Kayo felt awful. She could see the woman was in pain, and she hadn't meant to make it worse.

"Take a deep breath… that's it… it'll be okay…"

At any other time, Arizona would've thought the words trite and meaningless. But Kayo's voice was soothing and she found that she did find comfort in it.

When Arizona's sobs lessened, Kayo squeezed her hand once more. "Why don't you start from the beginning?" she suggested.

And so, Arizona did. For two hours, she talked and Kayo listened. For two hours Arizona spilled her guts about everything that had happened over the past two years to a complete stranger. Kayo hardly spoke; she only uttered a few words here and there of encouragement, consolation or sympathy. By the time Arizona had finished, her eyes were red-rimmed and she was still sniffling, and she'd gone through both packs of tissues that Kayo had provided.

"Y'know, Arizona, in everything you've said, nowhere did I hear anything about you being a terrible person."

"You're just being nice."

"The only thing I heard was your love for Callie."

Arizona closed her eyes and sighed. "And now I'm going back to find out if she still loves me, if she can forgive me for leaving."

"She'd be a fool not to. Granted, it might take some time for her, but I think she'll come around. I don't think you're the kind of woman that one can easily stop loving." Kayo smiled and patted Arizona's small hand.

"Thank you, Kayo. Thank you for listening to me."

"No problem." Kayo looked at her watch. "Wonder if we have time for one more drink?"

"Oh, no more for me," Arizona said.

"Well, you're probably right. I can have more on my next flight, assuming I make it. This flight is already running 20 minutes behind schedule."

Arizona sighed. "I need to stop thinking about… this… even just for a little while."

"I could ask the flight attendant for a deck of cards?" Kayo offered.

"No, thank you. I need something else to distract me."

For one quick, despicable moment, Kayo entertained the thought of 'distracting' Arizona with a proposition of joining the 'Mile High Club'. As soon as the thought entered her mind, Kayo mentally kicked herself. _You pig_, she chastised herself. _Arizona thinks she's a terrible person? I've clearly got her beat in that category. How could I think like that?_

"Tell me about yourself, Kayo. You already know so much about me."

"What do you want to know?"

"Well, obviously you grew up in Boston, if your accent is any indication." Arizona smiled.

"Right about that."

"Where'd you go to school?"

"Medical or undergrad?"

"Both."

"West Point then Yale Med."

"Wow. Ivy League."

"Yeah. Amazed that a kid from South Boston could end up there, huh?"

"No, I'm not surprised, just impressed." Arizona reached for her purse and took out a pack of gum. "Want a piece?"

Kayo almost choked on her response. _Piece of what? Oh… yeah… gum… Mind out of the gutter, Dwyer…_

"Sure, thanks," she replied blandly.

"Residency?" she asked Kayo.

"Fort Hood. I was there until I was sent to Iraq in '02."

"Any specialty?"

"Trauma."

"What's next for you?"

"What do I _really_ want to do, or what I'm _actually_ going to do?" she said with a grin.

"What do you want to do?"

"Drink lots of alcohol, have lots of sex and then sleep for a month."

Arizona laughed along with Kayo. "Long tour?"

"You have no idea. I haven't been stateside for more than three days since I first went to Iraq."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to visit with some old army buddies of mine for a little while, unless I overstay my welcome first, then I'll look for a job." Kayo fell silent for a moment. "I haven't lived anywhere but military housing since I left the Academy, except med school."

"I grew up a military brat, so I kind of know what you're going through."

"Army?"

"Perish the thought," Arizona said proudly. "Marines. My dad retired a full bird," Arizona lapsed into military jargon.

"Moved around a bit, I guess."

"Yeah. Every eighteen months, it seemed."

"Where'd you like best?"

"San Diego was nice… at least the climate was. We were in Virginia three times. The last time I lived at home was when my dad was at Quantico."

"Where'd you go to medical school?"

"Hopkins. I did my residency there, too." Arizona made a face. "Excuse me. The wine seems to have gone directly to my bladder."

Kayo stood up, ducking her head. It was then that Arizona noticed how tall she was. Kayo stepped back into the aisle, letting Arizona scramble past her. She remained standing, grateful for the chance to stretch her legs.

Arizona gave herself a good look in the mirror as she washed her hands in the sink in the tiny airplane restroom. _I look like crap_, she thought, noticing her slightly bloodshot eyes and the circles underneath. She splashed some cold water on her face and ran her fingers through her hair_. I should've brought my purse in here with me. Oh well, I've got a long layover in Boston. I can freshen up there_.

She stepped out of the restroom and spotted Kate talking with Kayo. She smiled to herself. _Kayo reminds me of a female version of Mark Sloan_. As soon as she approached her seat, Kayo and Kate stepped aside. Arizona politely excused herself as she maneuvered past them to return to her seat.

"Major, I'll let you know as soon as I can," Kate said, patting Kayo's arm.

Kayo thanked her and sat back down.

"Hot date?" Arizona teased.

"What? No." Kayo's cheeks reddened.

"Not for lacking of trying," Arizona laughed.

"Naw, she wanted to know if I had a layover in Boston. I explained that I wasn't even sure if I'd have time to make my connection. She's going to try to make arrangements so I can get off first and get down to customs ASAP. She also said she'd have them hold my next flight if it was only going to be a short delay."

"They can do that?"

"I guess being a war hero…" Kayo rolled her eyes. "It has some perks".

The shapely flight attendant returned. "You're all set, Major. They'll meet our flight at the gate and get you through as quickly as possible."

"Thanks, Kate."

The brunette leaned over and whispered, "and if you're ever passing through Boston again, call me." She slipped a piece of paper into Kayo's hand before walking away.

With a sheepish grin and an embarrassed shrug of her shoulders, Kayo stuffed the paper in her pocket.

Before Arizona could make a comment, the captain made the final approach announcement, instructing the passengers to return their seats to the upright position and to fasten their seatbelts. She offered Kayo a small smirk before she turned her attention to her purse.

Kayo reached for her briefcase under the seat in front of her. She took out a small pad of paper and a pen. She quickly scribbled a few notes on it.

"Arizona?"

"Yes?"

"The timing of this will seem kinda awkward, especially after… you know… Kate giving me her number and all."

"What?"

She handed Arizona the piece of paper. "Here's my email address and cell phone number. I was hoping you'd let me know how it goes with Callie. I don't mean anything else by it," she quickly added. "It's just… I'd like it if you could drop me a note, or text me or something someday so I know you're okay."

Arizona accepted the note, knowing that she'd probably never see Kayo again.

"I won't make any promises."

"I know. Just… someday… let me know."

"Okay."

They stayed silent as the plane landed, then taxied to the gate. Kayo turned to Arizona and took her hand. "Good luck, Arizona. I hope everything works out for you the way you want."

"Thank you, Kayo… for listening."

"Glad I could help," she said, immediately getting up when the plane had stopped. She reached into the overhead compartment and grabbed a small duffel bag. She saw Kate approaching and looked down at Arizona one last time. "Take care of yourself, Dr. Robbins," she said softly.

"You, too, Kayo."

Kayo gave Arizona one last look over her shoulder before following Kate out of the plane.

TBC


	2. Soldier Girls

Nothing Comes Easily by captstarbuck

**A new friend helps Arizona. **

**AN: This is, for the most part, Calzona, but Arizona-centric, with lots of other Grey's characters. It's slightly AU/Mostly Canon – Starts just before Arizona returns from Africa and varies a bit in the story of bringing them back together. Let's just say I bend the timeline and modify a few scenes to suit my own purposes.**

**AN: Continued thanks to my beta, Stacy D'Lacy**

**Disclaimers – All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual. (I don't own any of the characters from Grey's Anatomy. All of that belongs to Shondaland et al. I just wanted to take them out and play)**

**Chapter 2 – Soldier Girls**

The tall, slender cardio-thoracic surgeon waited impatiently by the gate for her friend. She'd checked the flight time before she'd left for the airport and she knew the plane was on time. It was just the influx of too many people from too many flights all arriving at the same time. She was old enough to remember when you could actually go to the gate and meet the passengers as they got off the plane, and today she wished she could do that now.

She checked her phone for the tenth time, hoping for a text message that would explain where her friend was. Nothing. She snapped her phone shut and slipped it back into her pocket.

The crowd thinned and she spied her friend and waved.

"Bear!" her friend called out as she rushed over. She dropped her bags and swept Teddy Altman up in a big hug, kissing her on the cheek. "It is so good to see you." Her smile for Teddy was full of affection and she hugged her again before setting her down.

"It's good to see you, too, Kayo." She hugged Kayo back.

"Where's Owen?"

"I didn't tell him. I thought we could surprise him later."

"How is he?"

"Good." She saw the questioning look on Kayo's face. "Really, he's good."

I'm sorry about… about how it didn't work out for you two."

"It's okay. We're friends. It's still tough at times," she admitted, "but we're okay." She turned to Kayo. "You know he's married now."

"I do know that. I got your last email."

"Well, there's something I didn't tell you," she said with a twinkle in her eyes as they headed for the baggage claim.

"What?"

"I'm married."

"What?" Kayo stopped walking, her jaw dropping. "You're kidding, right?"

"I married Henry two days ago so he could have health insurance," Teddy explained. "We don't even live together."

"Whoa. Wait a minute. Married? We have got some catching up to do, girlfriend," Kayo commented, shaking her head in amazement as they resumed walking.

"And we've got plenty of time do that." She squeezed Kayo's arm. "I can't believe you finally got out."

"Me neither. Never thought the day would come."

"Are you hungry?" Teddy asked as they waited for Kayo's bags.

"Not really. Not yet, anyway. Stomach's a little queasy from nasty airplane food."

"You must be tired."

"Yeah, I haven't slept much for the past two days with all the flights I've had to catch. I barely made this connection. The flight into Boston had some bad weather and we were a little late." She didn't bother to tell her friend that she'd only made the connection with the help of an attractive and altogether accommodating flight attendant. _I'm just a little sorry that I wasn't able to find out just how accommodating she would have been_, Kayo thought a little wistfully.

Teddy stepped back, her hands on Kayo's arms and took a long look at her friend. "You look good, Kayo. How are you feeling?"

"All patched up," Kayo replied, her tone letting Teddy know she didn't want to go into any details.

"I was relieved to hear that Eaton did the surgery. I wish Owen or I had been there to do it."

"No, you don't. Just be glad you got out when you did."

"You do know that I'm going to have to see for myself that you're okay."

"Finally got your excuse to check me out, huh, Bear?" Kayo said, teasing her. "Finally going to give in?"

"You wish," Teddy grinned back, elbowing her friend. "You know that I find your charms to be totally and completely… resistible."

Kayo put her hand to her chest and staggered back as if she'd been shot. "Ouch. I think that one hurt more than all the shrapnel."

"You goof." Teddy smiled. "Seriously, Kayo, the doctor in me needs to make sure you really are okay. And soon."

"I'm fine, Bear, really. I was good enough to go back to active duty."

Kayo spotted her two duffel bags and retrieved them.

"I'll take you back to my place and you can crash for a few hours," Teddy explained. "I've got to go to back to the hospital. I've got surgery."

"Sounds good."

"I'll pick you up after work and we can meet up with Owen. We can grab some dinner then."

"Bear, I really appreciate you letting me crash with you. I really didn't know where else to go, and it was all pretty sudden."

"It'll be good to have you around, Kayo. I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too."

"Stupid fucking war," Teddy said under her breath.

Kayo nodded her agreement.

They walked to Teddy's car in silence, both lost in their thoughts about Iraq and the heavy toll it had taken on both of them.

Teddy drove back to her cottage after calling Kayo ahead of time. She found her friend sitting on the sofa, hair still damp, clad in her army-issued ACU fatigues.

"Kayo, why are you wearing your uniform?"

"Um, technically, I'm still in the army for, " she looked at her watch. "twenty-four hours."

"You're not on duty."

"Bear, I don't have anything else but uniforms," she said with an embarrassed smile. "I've been in the desert for the past eight and half years. When would I need civilian clothes?"

"Maybe I've got something in my closet."

"I know you're almost as tall as I am, Bear, but I've easily got twenty or thirty pounds on you."

"We could stop…"

"I'll be fine. Really."

"Okay, then." Teddy smiled. "How'd you sleep?"

"Great. Best sleep I've had in, well, I don't know how long."

"When I came back, I just wanted to sleep for months."

"And to be able to sleep in something besides skivvies, that it was actually cold enough... That was actually a treat."

"Oh, please, Kayo, you hardly ever wore your skivvies to bed. You were bareassed more often than not."

"Yeah, but I wasn't sleeping then," she said with a sly smile.

"Smartass."

"Always."

"Get your boots on and let's go."

"Yes, ma'am," Kayo said, reaching for her army boots.

"How long were you in the shower?" Teddy asked her friend with a knowing smile.

"Until the water went cold."

"Yeah, that first shower once you're back… heaven," Teddy remembered.

"All set," Kayo said, standing up.

"I've got something to show you," Teddy said, taking Kayo's arm as they headed for the door.

"You know I don't like surprises."

"It's not like that. You'll really like it. I know I did when I first got to Seattle."

"Lead the way."

"Close your eyes."

"What?"

"Trust me."

Kayo reluctantly closed her eyes and allowed her friend to lead her out the door. As soon as they were outdoors, Kayo grinned.

"Rain!" she said, tilting her head back, the drops splashing against her face.

"Sweet, glorious rain."

"God, this is great," Kayo commented, her eyes shut and her arms out.

"I actually did a dance in it when I first got here," Teddy said.

"I'm tempted to…"

"But you're hungry and you want to see Owen," Teddy finished her sentence.

"You know me too well, Bear."

"Yeah, sometimes _too_ well," she kidded Kayo as she unlocked her car.

Kayo removed her Army beret as she followed her friend into Joe's. For a weekday, there seemed to be a pretty decent crowd. Her friend had talked about the place often enough that Kayo felt like she'd been in here before. She quickly scanned the room, looking for Owen. Teddy tapped Kayo on the arm and pointed to a group of doctors sitting at a table across the room. Owen had his back to the door.

Kayo looked at Teddy, a smile full of mischief crossing her face.

"What?" Teddy asked.

Kayo winked at Teddy then cupped her hands to her mouth and hollared out "Hooah!"

Just about everyone in the room at the very least looked up at the sound of the Army call, but Owen's reaction was more visceral. His head whipped around as he instinctively answered back with his own "Hooah" to the amusement of his friends seated at the table.

"O-rion!" Kayo called out.

"Kayo?" he mouthed, confusion on his face. He quickly jumped to his feet and ran over to his friends.

"What are you doing here? When did you get out?" he asked, hugging her.

"This afternoon," Kayo answered, hugging him back.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Bear wanted it to be a surprise."

The red-haired trauma surgeon gave Teddy a friendly glare.

"You couldn't have made it to the airport anyway, Owen."

"I can't believe it. I didn't think I'd ever see this day come."

"Believe it." Kayo took Owen's arm. "Care to buy a soldier a drink?"

"I'll buy you more than _a _drink. Come sit down with us."

Owen led them over to the table where his friends sat.

With his hand on Kayo's shoulder, Owen introduced Kayo to his fellow doctors. "Everybody, this is Dr. Kayo Dwyer, finest trauma surgeon I've ever worked with."

Derek stood up and extended his hand across the table.

"Derek Shepherd, Neuro," he said, starting off the introductions.

"Meredith Grey, fourth-year."

"Jackson Avery, fourth-year."

"Lexie Grey, third-year."

"Where's Cristina?" Teddy asked, setting her coat on an empty chair, leaving a remaining empty chair beside Owen for Kayo. She warily glanced over her shoulder toward the bar. "She's not tending bar, is she?"

"She's home. She'll join us later." Owen sat down, gesturing to Kayo to sit beside him. "I think the bartending phase has passed, at least I hope it has."

"I'm sure Bailey hopes so as well," Meredith said with a laugh. "Though she did seem to like that one drink."

"Early Onset Alzheimers," Lexie commented, picking up her beer.

"Say what?" Kayo asked.

"It's a drink Cristina invented," Meredith explained. "I have no idea what's in it. I just know it's blue, tastes awful and it could make you forget who you were, where you were and what you were doing."

"Sounds like my kind of drink," Kayo grinned.

"Oh, no, trust me, you don't want one of them," Meredith said with a knowing look.

"Speaking of which, what'll you have, Kayo? I've got the first one."

"Hmmm… how about a shot and a beer, for old time's sake?"

"So you were in Iraq with Owen and Teddy?" Derek asked.

Kayo nodded, reaching for the bowl of peanuts.

"Kayo was there before either of us were assigned," Teddy explained. "She taught us everything we know about trauma in a war zone."

Owen returned with a tray full of drinks for everyone at the table. He distributed the glasses and bottles before lifting his glass.

"I'd like to propose a toast," he said.

The doctors at the table lifted their drinks.

"To the 'soldier girls'. May they never, ever serve in battle again."

Kayo, Owen, and Teddy quickly downed their shots, then all three of them shouted "Hooah!"

The remaining doctors at the table downed their drinks.

Kayo sat back and listened to the doctors gossip about their co-workers, the hospital and their work. Everyone seemed friendly enough and Kayo had yet to buy a drink. She tried to pace herself with her drinking, downing the shots quickly, but sipping the beer.

It didn't take long before Owen and Teddy drew her into the conversation, and she started telling stories about their time together in Iraq, but sticking to the embarrassing or lighter stories.

"Remember the soccer ball?" Kayo asked Owen and Teddy.

"The one you operated on?"

"That'd be the one," Kayo said taking a long drink from her beer.

"You operated on a soccer ball?" Lexie asked.

"Yes."

"Why would you operate on a soccer ball?"

"We only had one at the time. One afternoon we were playing soccer and a sniper opened fire," Owen explained.

"Oh my god!" Lexie exclaimed. "Was anyone hurt?"

"Only casualty was the soccer ball," Kayo said drily.

"What did you do?" Derek asked.

"Oh, a little surgical glue, 3-O silk and duct tape and it was good as new." Kayo turned to Owen. "I brought it back with me."

"No shit. Really?"

"Yep. Deflated it and stuffed it in my duffel."

"Colonel Hicks was so mad when he found you in the OR operating on a soccer ball."

"Yeah, well, 'Operation Kickball' wasn't secret enough. He wasn't supposed to find out."

"Been golfing recently?" Teddy asked with a smirk.

"Hell no!" Kayo snorted.

Owen and Teddy laughed.

"What's so funny?" Avery asked.

"There was this doctor, Nicholls wasn't it?" Teddy asked. Kayo nodded. "Anyway, he'd been called up and he was determined that his golf game wasn't going to suffer while he was in Iraq."

"He and Kayo decided to hit some practice drives not too far from camp."

"Stupid fuck hooked his shot and hit a landmine," Kayo muttered.

"The whole camp went on alert. Colonel Hicks thought we were under attack, until he saw Kayo and Nicholls crawling back to camp, dragging a set of golf clubs."

Owen and Teddy laughed at the memory.

"Do you have any plans now that you're out?" Derek asked after the laughter had died down.

"I'm staying with Bear here for a little while, then it's off to look for work."

"You know, Kayo, I've got some extra money in the Trauma budget," Owen said. "You should come by tomorrow and we can talk to Chief Webber. I could really use another pair of experienced hands in the department."

"Sure you want to be working with me again?" Kayo asked, downing the shot that someone, she hadn't seen who, had placed in front of her.

"Absolutely."

"Of course," Teddy chimed in. She was about to add more encouragement but she felt her cell phone vibrate against her hip. She pulled her phone out and glanced down, her eyes widening when she saw the Caller ID.

"Excuse me," she said, standing up. "I've got to take this call where I can actually hear."

Once she was outside, she answered the call.

"Arizona?"

"Teddy?"

"What's wrong?" Teddy asked, immediately picking up on the tone in her friend's voice.

"I'm… I'm at the Archfield."

"What? What are you doing there?"

"I came b-b-back."

"What?" Teddy repeated. "When?"

"A few hours ago."

"Arizona, what's wrong?"

"Callie… I saw her… she… she wouldn't even talk to me," Arizona cried.

"Wait right there. I'm on my way."

"You don't ha… have to, T-t-teddy. I don't want to b-b-bother you… I didn't know who else to call."

"I'm coming to get you, Arizona."

Teddy shut her phone and went back inside to get her coat.

"Everything okay?" Owen asked.

"Small emergency," Teddy explained, putting on her coat. "I'll be back."


	3. Rescue Me

Nothing Comes Easily by captstarbuck

**An old friend and a new friend help Arizona. **

**AN-new: Thought I'd throw Chapter 3 out for now. Chapter four will be a little while in coming mostly due to holiday travels & visiting my GF whom I haven't seen in two months. And, to be honest, I've also been a bit distracted by the quantity and quality of the work that's come out this past week).**

**AN: This is, for the most part, Calzona, but Arizona-centric, with lots of other Grey's characters. It's slightly AU/Mostly Canon – Starts just before Arizona returns from Africa and varies a bit in the story of bringing them back together. Let's just say I bend the timeline and modify a few scenes to suit my own purposes.**

**AN: Thanks to my beta-buddy, Stacy D'Lacy**

**Disclaimers – All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual. (I don't own any of the characters from Grey's Anatomy. All of that belongs to Shondaland et al. I just wanted to take them out and play)**

Chapter 3 – Rescue Me

Arizona sat on the king-sized bed in her hotel room and tried to regroup. She was embarrassed with how she'd broken down on the phone with Teddy. _Not going to happen again_, she told herself. _It's time to… to get my shit together. I'm stronger than thi_s.

Arizona had been stunned to see Callie. She'd expected that she was going to see Mark first, but when Callie opened the door… She hadn't been entirely ready for that and she'd nervously launched into one of her patented ramblings. She hadn't said everything that she'd wanted to say to Callie. _And what was I thinking? 'You look really pretty'? Like that was going to make Callie take me back? What an idiot. That stops tonight_.

She'd unrealistically hoped that when she saw Callie that she'd be forgiven; welcomed with open arms. She'd expected an angry Callie, an angry ranting in Spanish Callie. She had not been prepared for what had happened. Nothing. Not one word. Callie just closed the door on her.

Despite her earlier promise to herself, Arizona felt the tears come to her eyes and she bit her lip. Her cell phone rang and for one crazy, hopeful moment, Arizona thought that maybe, just maybe it could be Callie. She saw the caller ID and her shoulders slumped in disappointment.

"Teddy."

"Arizona, I'm here. What's your room number?" she asked as walked through the lobby of the hotel.

"502, if you can believe it." The Gods, or whomever were calling the shots, had a perverse sense of humor. Giving her the same number as her old apartment number was almost laughable had it not been so painful.

"I'm on my way up," Teddy said, stepping into an open elevator.

Minutes later she was knocking on the door to Arizona's hotel room. Arizona opened the door and stepped back. She wanted to be strong, wanted to… wanted to stop feeling so weak. Arizona's resolve crumbled when she saw Teddy and she collapsed in her friend's arms.

"Teddy…"

"It's gonna be okay, Arizona," Teddy said as she gently rubbed her back.

"She wouldn't even talk to me… she didn't say anything… just… nothing."

"She was probably in shock. I'm sure you're the last person she expected to see."

Teddy steered Arizona over to the sofa and sat her down. She was not totally surprised to see how badly her friend looked, but she was still somewhat shocked. She'd always thought that underneath all the 'rainbows and crap' as Karev so crassly put it, Arizona was a pretty tough, strong-willed woman. To see her looking so frail, almost fragile, unnerved Teddy.

"I think I made a mistake, Teddy. I never should have come back."

"Arizona, you've been here what, a few hours? Give it some time. Give _yourself_ some time."

"I just…I don't know…" Arizona was at a loss for words.

"You know what, Arizona, let's get out of here. Let's get you a stiff drink or two, and something to eat."

"I don't know, Teddy. I think I'll just stay here."

"Nope. You're coming with me to Joe's."

"Joe's? What if I see someone I know?"

"So? It's not like you can go back to work at the hospital and not see anyone you know."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Arizona followed Teddy into Joe's. She was still feeling nervous, anxious even, and almost turned around more than once to leave. She spotted a few familiar faces in the bar, but avoided making eye contact.

To say her friends and colleagues at the table were shocked to see her was an understatement. Owen immediately rose from his chair and hugged her. Lexie jumped up and hugged her hello as well. _Bless her heart_, thought Teddy,

"Arizona, when did you get back?"

"Today."

"How long are you here for?" Derek asked.

"It depends upon if the Chief will give me my job back."

Teddy dragged another chair over to the table for Arizona. As Arizona spoke with Owen and Derek about Africa, the Cardio surgeon looked around for Kayo.

"She's getting a round of drinks," Lexie said.

A waitress came over with several plates of appetizers, none of them healthy, and almost all of them fried. She also set a plate down with a big burger and a side order of French fries at Kayo's spot. As soon as she left, Teddy reached down and snagged a fry from Kayo's plate.

"Hands off my fries, Bear," Kayo warned as she returned with a tray of drinks.

Hearing a familiar voice, one she never thought she'd ever hear again, Arizona spun around.

"Kayo?"

"Arizona?"

Kayo was stunned to see Arizona. She reached out with her hand, but stopped, unsure of herself. She instead offered Arizona an awkward, clumsy hug.

"What are you doing here, Kayo? This is the last place I ever expected to see you."

"I served with Owen and Bear." Seeing the confusion on Arizona's face when she said 'Bear', she quickly said, "Teddy."

"Oh, they're the Army buddies you were off to see," Arizona recalled their conversation from the plane.

"You two know each other?" Teddy asked.

"Yes. We sat next to each other on the flight from London to Boston."

Out of the corner of her eye. Kayo spotted Teddy reaching for another fry and quickly slid her plate out of reach. "Get your own fries, Bear," she growled as she sat down.

Teddy somehow managed to both frown and smirk at her friend.

"Sit down, Arizona. Join us," Derek said.

"I'll get you a drink," Teddy said, draping her coat over an empty chair next to Avery. "And I'll order my own fries."

Arizona sat down beside Kayo. _She doesn't look good_, Kayo thought. _She looks like she's ready to burst into tears, or collapse from exhaustion_. She picked up her knife and cut her cheeseburger in half. She subtly shifted her plate over so that it was between them.

"Share my burger, Arizona. You need to eat something," she said quietly.

"Oh, no, I couldn't. Thank you anyway."

"I insist. I know you've been subjected to the same horrible airline food that I have."

Knowing Kayo's persistence, Arizona gave her a small smile, and resigned herself to eating half of Kayo's burger.

"And you, Arizona, you are welcome to share my French fries," she added, giving a small smile back to the blond.

Kayo's actions, and their exchange didn't go unnoticed by Meredith, who quietly sat across from them, finishing her drink. A fresh shot of tequila sat in front of her.

"Have you seen Callie yet?" Lexie blurted.

The table fell silent. Everyone had wanted to ask the same question, but no one had been brave enough or tactless enough to ask it.

"Yes."

"Oh." It took a moment, but a look of comprehension crossed Lexie's face. "Ohhh," she repeated, the word drawing out. She tried to apologize to Arizona with a look, but failed.

Meredith knew from looking at Arizona that whatever had transpired between the blond Peds surgeon and her ex-girlfriend hadn't gone well. She'd known Callie for years. While Callie could be warm and generous to the people she cared about, she could also be cruel and unforgiving. Meredith was pretty sure that it had been the latter and not the former.

She really didn't know Arizona that well. Almost all of her interactions with Arizona outside of the hospital had involved Callie. The rest of what she knew about her had been through Cristina. That usually included information that she really hadn't wanted to know, especially when Cristina had been bitching about Arizona and Callie's sex life.

She did feel bad for Arizona. In a surprising act of compassion, Meredith did the only thing she could do, the only thing that had worked for her. Wordlessly she slid her shot of tequila across the table to Arizona. Her eyes met Arizona's and she tried to convey her sympathy to her. Arizona nodded once, and picked up the glass.

"Thanks," she said in a faint voice before she downed the shot. It burned and her eyes briefly watered, but she welcomed the instant warmth it provided.

An unspoken agreement seemed to have been passed around everyone at the table. Callie and everything involving her became off-limits. The doctors filled Arizona in on the latest hospital gossip, the big surgical procedures that they'd performed, and anything else they could think of that didn't raise the specter of the Latina Ortho surgeon.

Arizona had been grateful for their consideration, and the more she thought about it, the more she had to agree that Teddy had been right. She had needed to eat something, and the two, or was it three, shots of tequila that she'd consumed had relaxed her in a way that she hadn't thought would ever be possible again.

She leaned back and watched Teddy and Kayo tease each other, sharing stories of their time in Iraq together. There was an ease to their friendship and Arizona supposed it was the kind that could only be forged in battle, or hospital in a battle zone. Kayo seemed to so easily bring out a side of the cardio surgeon that no one else seemed to think was there. Arizona always suspected that there was a whole other side to her friend, just lurking beneath the surface, and her banter with Kayo seemed to prove it.

Arizona would occasionally catch Kayo looking back at her, checking on her, almost protectively. She wasn't sure what to make of it, but she welcomed the support Kayo was silently offering her.

"Who's got this round?" Teddy asked, setting her empty beer bottle down on the table.

"Oh, it's my turn," Meredith said getting up from the table. "Same for everyone?"

Everyone nodded and Meredith set off for the bar.

Cristina entered Joe's. The short Asian woman spotted her best friend standing in the drink line at the bar and immediately headed over to her.

"Hey, Mer."

"Cristina, you made it."

"Yeah, well, whatever…" she replied with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Tequila?" Meredith asked.

"You buying?" Cristina perked up.

"This round."

"Then hell yes."

Meredith caught Joe's attention and ordered an extra shot of tequila. Cristina leaned against the bar and looked over at her husband. "Who's that sitting next to Owen?" she asked, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"Oh, that's Dr. Dwyer. She was in Iraq with Owen and Teddy."

"Well that's just great. I finally get it straightened out with Desert Storm Barbie and now I've got to deal with a GI Jane?"

"You don't have anything to worry about, Cristina."

"What? What do you know, Mer? Spill it. Tell me she's got a boyfriend. Tell me she's got a husband. Tell me she's a man."

"Cristina!"

"What?"

"She bats for the other team," Meredith explained with a smile.

"Really? So, no threat?"

"Not to you, but there is someone else I think she's sweet on."

"Who? Altman?" Cristina asked increduously. "Is that why she's here?"

Meredith didn't reply, but when she saw Arizona exit the bathroom, she tilted her head and rolled her eyes in the blonde's direction. Cristina face crinkled in confusion, wondering if there was something wrong with her friend.

"What?"

"Look," Meredith whispered, gesturing once again with her eyes. "Over there."

Cristina finally followed Meredith's eyes. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Roller Girl?" she blurted out loud. "When did she come back?"

"Some time today."

"Does Callie know?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"She's here and not with Callie. Does that answer your question?"

"Oh, man, this is not good. I heard Callie's been a real bitch lately. This will just make it worse."

"Did you hear that she made an intern cry yesterday?"

"No shit. I don't think even I've done that."

"Give me a hand with the drinks."

"Do I look like a waitress?"

"Need I remind you that it was only a short time ago that you were bartending here?"

Cristina huffed her indignation but still picked up a tray to help her friend.

"Wait, wait a minute, Mer." Cristina stopped, finally realizing what Meredith had been hinting at earlier. "Are you saying GI Jane has the hots for Blondie?"

"I think so."

"How does she even know her?"

"They were on the same flight from London to Boston," Meredith explained.

"Almost makes me sorry I'm not at the hospital to watch the fireworks over that."

"Oh, I'm pretty sure it's a one-way street. Arizona is all about Callie."

"Maybe so, but a jealous Callie? I'd pay to see her go all cagefighter on GI Jane."

"Cristina!"

They set the drinks down and Meredith began to hand them out. Cristina pulled a chair over and made space next to Meredith's, rudely shoving it in between Lexie and Meredith.

"Move over Little Grey," she ordered.

Lexie sighed and shuffled her chair over a little further.

Plopping down in her chair Cristina acknowledged Arizona with a simple "Robbins".

"Cristina."

"Oh, Kayo, this is my wife, Cristina Yang. Cristina, Kayo Dwyer."

"Yeah, hello, whatever," Cristina mumbled, taking a long swallow of tequila.

"Please to meet you, too, Dr. Yang," Kayo said with a smile. _Owen has hands full with this one_, she thought, downing her shot.

"Dr. Dwyer, can I ask you a question?" Lexie asked.

"Sure. I won't guarantee an answer."

"Why do you call Dr. Atlman 'Bear'?" Lexie was curious and no one else had asked.

"It's a nickname. I just can't bring myself to use a word for negligee for my friend. Teddy Bear is.." Kayo almost said 'more than a mouthful' but opted for "too fucking long, so I call her 'Bear'."

"Y'know, Dwyer," Teddy said after a long pull on her beer, "you are the only person to ever make that connection. You are such a pervert."

The table burst out laughing. Arizona even had to smile at Teddy's comment.

"And your nickname for Dr. Hunt?" Lexie continued.

"It's a take on the constellations. Orion is the hunter. O – wen, O – rion. Hunt – Hunter. Get it?"

"Of course."

"Did Lexipedia miss something?" Cristina smirked.

"Lexipedia?" Kayo laughed. "So I'm not the only one who uses nicknames."

"Oh, not at all," Teddy explained. "I've been tagged with 'Desert Storm Barbie'," Teddy looked pointedly at Cristina. "Derek is McDreamy, Lexie is Lexipedia. Arizona, well she's got a few nicknames."

"Oh really? Do tell," Kayo grinned, watching Arizona cringe.

"Roller girl," Cristina jumped in. "Blondie… what's the other one… oh, yeah, McPerky."

Owen leaned over and whispered out of the side of his mouth to Kayo. "Just so you know. Cristina and Meredith? They're the 'twisted sisters'".

Kayo choked on her beer, nearly spitting it out.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

An hour or so later, the doctors began to leave. Teddy noticed Arizona was beginning to fade and Kayo had quite the buzz from the beer and shots she'd drank.

"Arizona, you're going to stay with me… with Kayo and me at my place," Teddy said as they walked down the street to her car.

"No, I don't want to be any trouble."

"You don't need to be alone right now, and you certainly don't need to be spending all that money for a hotel room."

"Yeah, come stay at Theodora Altman's Home for Wayward Lesbians," Kayo cracked.

"Well, I'm staying at the Archfield tonight," Arizona said. "The room's paid for and all my stuff is there."

"Then tomorrow you move in with us." Teddy's voice was final, leaving no room for argument.

The drive to the hotel was short and mostly silent. Teddy was completely focused on her driving and Arizona just stared out the window. Kayo was sprawled across the back seat, drinking from a bottle of beer that she had tucked into her coat pocket as they'd left Joe's.

Teddy parked the car and she and Kayo got out with Arizona.

"What are you doing?" Arizona asked as Teddy and Kayo followed her into the hotel and up to her room.

"Staying with you."

"What? Why?"

"Arizona, you're exhausted and you're upset and you shouldn't be alone tonight."

"That's not necessary. I'm fine."

Teddy rolled her eyes, and Kayo grinned, knowing that Teddy was shifting into her 'commanding officer' mode.

"Arizona Robbins, get your jammies on and get in the damned bed."

Kayo covered her mouth, stifling her laugh.

Arizona was startled at first with the authoritative tone of Teddy's voice, then she saw the smile that tugged at the corner of her friend's mouth. She walked over to Teddy and gave her a heartfelt hug.

"Thank you, Teddy. You're a good man in a storm. You didn't have to rescue me tonight, but I'm glad you did."

Kayo flopped down in one of the chairs and put her feet up on the coffee table. "Got anything to drink in this place?"

"No."

"And we're certainly not cracking open the bar here," Teddy said.

"Well, I'll just run down to the hotel bar and get us all a drink or two."

"Just order room service," Arizona said as she rummaged through a suitcase.

"Okay, but I'm paying. What do you want?"

"I'm good," Arizona said, finally pulling out a shirt from the suitcase and heading for the bathroom.

"Bear, you want anything?"

"Get a six pack of beer. We can always finish it off tomorrow."

Kayo picked up the phone and called down for room service. "So, what's the plan?" she asked Teddy, after hanging up the phone.

"We're going to sleep with Arizona."

"What?"

"Remember when Betty Hixson found out her husband had been KIA?"

"Oh, yeah, that's right. We all spent turns sleeping with her that first night."

"Exactly. I know Callie's not dead, and Arizona isn't a widow, but it doesn't mean she isn't feeling that way right now."

"Agreed."

"So, which side of the bed do you want?"

"Umm… I usually sleep on my right side."

"Then take the left side. I'll sleep on the right. Arizona is sleeping between us."

"Yes, ma'am, Major Altman."

Arizona emerged from the bathroom wearing an oversized Miami t-shirt that Teddy was certain had once belonged to Callie. Teddy and Kayo were seated on opposite sides of the bed, both in the process of removing their shoes, or in Kayo's case, her Army boots.

There was a knock at the door and Kayo quickly sprang to her feet. Moments later she came back into the room carrying a six pack of beer. She tossed a bottle to Teddy and grabbed one for herself. She placed the remaining bottles in the small refrigerator.

"You done in the bathroom?" Teddy asked.

Arizona nodded and Teddy took her turn in the bathroom. Kayo was already sitting on the bed, her back against the headboard, and she was sipping from her bottle of beer.

When Teddy came out of the bathroom, she was carrying her bra and her jeans. She was curious as to why Kayo was still, for the most part, dressed. She'd only taken off her shirt and she was still wearing her pants and tight olive-colored t-shirt. Kayo was always one for shedding her clothes. She didn't know the meaning of the word modest. Either the situation was making her uncomfortable or she was hiding something.

"What's going on?" Arizona asked.

"Get in bed, Arizona," Teddy said. "We're not letting you sleep alone tonight."

"I'm fine, Teddy. You don't need to."

"Arizona, stop arguing," Teddy said. "We're all tired and a little bit drunk. Just get in bed."

Kayo nodded her head in agreement as she finished off her beer.

The lack of sleep and the emotional roller coaster that Arizona had been on over the past seventy-two hours had taken all the fight out of her. She sighed and turned back the covers to the king-sized bed. She climbed into the bed, positioning herself in the center of the mattress. When she felt the other two bodies sink onto bed and slip under the covers, she flashed back to the last time she'd shared a bed with two other people… Callie and Mark. She closed her eyes, wincing at the memory.

Teddy reached over and squeezed her friend's hand. "You're not alone, Arizona, and we're gonna get you through this."

Sometime in the middle of the night, Arizona woke up to the sound of snoring. Really, really loud snoring. The noise was coming from her right, from Kayo. _God, that's even worse than Callie after a long night of heavy drinking_. She glanced over in the dim light and saw that Kayo was flat on her back, her head tilted toward the center of the bed, and her mouth was open.

"Teddy? Teddy, are you asleep?" Arizona whispered.

"Not fucking likely with that chainsaw running," she cursed.

"Do you think it's all right if I just smother her with a pillow?"

"I may beat you to it."

After the snoring continued unabated for another ten minutes, Teddy had had enough. "Just tell her to roll over. She only snores when she's on her back."

Arizona gently shook Kayo's shoulder. Getting no response, she shoved her a little harder.

"Kayo. Kayo, roll over. You're snoring."

Kayo half-grunted half-snorted before rolling over onto her left side, her arm falling across Arizona. She mumbled something and then fell silent.

"Well, this is awkward," Arizona whispered.

"Well at least she stopped snoring." Realizing that Arizona was uncomfortable, Teddy got up from the bed. "Let's switch," Teddy offered.

Arizona gently lifted Kayo's arm and crawled out of the bed. She waited for Teddy to climb back into bed, where she proceeded to physically roll Kayo over, who never even woke up. Arizona slipped back into bed.

"Now go to sleep," Teddy said. "No excuses."

"Yes, ma'am," Arizona said, rolling over onto her side, covers clutched in her hands.


	4. Battle Zone

Nothing Comes Easily by captstarbuck

**AN: This is, for the most part, Calzona, but Arizona-centric, with lots of other Grey's characters, especially Arizona's friendship with Teddy. It's slightly AU/Mostly Canon – Starts just before Arizona returns from Africa and varies a bit in the story of bringing them back together. Let's just say I bend the timeline and modify a few scenes to suit my own purposes.**

**AN2: I do not claim any medical knowledge… only what I glean from the internet. All medical mistakes are my own. **

**AN3: There are parts of this chapter where I take a little creative license with what actually happened on the show. I'm leaving out scenes that actually occurred on the show, unless I was changing them to suit my needs. I don't need to re-hash what we all saw. I've also played fast and loose with some of the laws regarding medical credentialing. If Grey's Anatomy can do it, so can I.**

**AN4: Thanks again to Stacy, my "awesome" beta reader.**

**Disclaimers – ****All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual. (****I don't own any of the characters from Grey's Anatomy. All of that belongs to Shondaland et al. I just wanted to take them out and play)**

Chapter Four – Battle Zone

Arizona Robbins cracked one eye open and for one fuzzy moment she wondered where she was. She spotted the clock and its dim green light informing her that it was quarter after four_. Digital clock. Hotel room. I'm in a hotel room. Think. Where am I? Archfield. Seattle. Oh, god, I'm back in Seattle. Callie. I saw Callie_. She felt her chest tighten and tears sprang to her eyes again. Her fingers clutched the pillow and she pressed her face into it. She felt movement behind her and she froze for an instant before she remembered that Teddy and Kayo were with her. It was enough to startle her out of her moment of self-pity.

She carefully sat up, hoping not to disturb her friends. She quietly slipped off the bed, immediately tugging down her orange t-shirt that had ridden up. _I don't need to be showing my business to Teddy and Kayo._

She looked down at the bed as she gathered up her clothes. Kayo had ended up on her stomach with one arm dangling off the edge of the bed, her face firmly planted in the soft pillow. Teddy was curled up in a fetal position facing Kayo. Her right hand was tucked under her pillow and a piece of Kayo's shirt was clutched in her left fist. Both of them were in a deep, deep sleep, which Arizona attributed to their alcohol consumption. She glanced down at her friends again, almost envious of their affection for one another.

_Kayo._ Seeing her at Joe's… that had been a total surprise_. Would I have still told her everything that I had if I'd known I'd see her again? I don't know. Maybe. I do know that it's been nice having someone in addition to Teddy offering me support and friendship. I have a feeling that I won't be getting much support at the hospital. I'm the one who's been gone. I'm the one who left. I'm sure the nurses, and probably most of the doctors, have been rallying behind Callie._

Moving around the room by the light in the bathroom, Arizona gathered some of her belongings. She hoped that she wouldn't wake her friends. She had plans and she didn't want her friends to know about them. She was pretty sure they wouldn't approve of at least one of them.

Half an hour later, Arizona was showered, dressed and jotting down a quick note for the two sleeping women.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Teddy Altman was one of those people that when she woke up, she was awake. Years of having to be awake at an instant's notice because of surgery had left its mark. This morning was no exception. She took in her surroundings, checking the time on the clock. The first thing she noticed was that one side of the bed was empty. She waited for a moment, listening for any sound of her missing friend. The room remained silent, other than Kayo's soft snores.

"Kayo, wake up."

Knowing her friend usually slept like the dead, especially when she'd been drinking, Teddy gently shook her shoulder.

"C'mon, Kayo, wake up."

Kayo rolled over, her arm instinctively curling around the body beside her. She seemed to be still dreaming as she mumbled, "not again, baby…more sleep first..."

Teddy laughed to herself, having a good idea what Kayo had been dreaming about. _Could be worse, I suppose. At least her hand hasn't landed anywhere it shouldn't._ She gave Kayo a little harder shove. "Wake up, Dwyer!" she said, her tone sharp, knowing that it worked best in waking her friend.

Kayo's eyes snapped open. "I'm awake, I'm awake," she said, sitting up.

"Get up," Teddy said, climbing out of bed. "Arizona's gone."

"What?" .

"Yeah, at some point she snuck out of here." Teddy ran her hand through her long locks in attempt to comb it. "I'm betting her absence has something to do with one Callie Torres."

Teddy grabbed her bra and headed for the bathroom. Moments later she came back out, holding a piece of paper in her hand.

"She left a note," she said. "She's running an 'errand'," Teddy scoffed. "Errand my ass. Who runs an errand at six in the morning?" Teddy pulled up her jeans and fastened them.

"That's it? That's all the note says? An errand?" Kayo asked, reaching for her shirt.

"It also says she's going to the hospital to speak with Chief about getting her job back. She'll meet up with us there."

"Think she's off to find Torres again?"

"I'd bet my last dollar on it. Arizona is nothing if not persistent." As irritated as she was with her friend, Teddy couldn't help but smile. It was Arizona's persistence that had made them friends.

"So, what's the plan?" Kayo walked over to the sofa, sat down, and started putting on her boots.

"Plan?"

"What do you want to do?"

"Let's pack her stuff up and take it back to my place. We can both grab a shower and a bite to eat, then we'll get you to the hospital to meet up with Owen and the Chief."

"Coffee first, right?"

"Absolutely."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_My legs are going numb. I don't know how much longer I can sit here like this. What if Callie isn't working today? How long do I wait? _

Suddenly the door popped open. Arizona looked up from her perch, trying not to look too hopeful. She felt her heart suddenly race and she knew it wasn't the caffeine from the cup of coffee she'd been sipping. Just being near Callie Torres… it still made her heart pound. _Please, please say something_ Arizona pleaded internally.

Callie almost looked confused when she spotted her former girlfriend sitting in the hallway.

"You sat here all night?" she asked in disbelief.

On somewhat shaky legs, Arizona rose to her feet.

"Um, well, no," she confessed. "I flew in from Africa so I went to a hotel, took a shower, got some sleep and came back really early."

Callie looked away, adjusting her bag over her shoulder.

"Really, please, go back to Malawi."

Without looking at her, Callie headed for the elevator.

Arizona steeled herself before following. She was only a few steps behind Callie when Callie entered the elevator. Turning around, Callie saw Arizona and she raised her hand to halt her.

"No," she simply said, pushing the button for the first floor.

"Calliope…"

"No."

For the second time in twelve hours, Callie Torres closed the door on Arizona.

Arizona bit her lip and her shoulders slumped. _This is going to be a lot harder than I thought_, she thought. Suddenly she heard her father's voice in her head. _"Soldier on, Marine. I didn't raise a quitte_r." She tossed her empty coffee cup in the trash can by the elevator and squared her shoulders. _No, Dad, you didn't. I am most definitely not a quitter. I don't give up that easily._ She jabbed the down button on the wall and waited for the elevator to return to the fifth floor.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"So, how well do you know Arizona?" Teddy asked, not even glancing at her friend as she drove them to the hospital.

"We talked on the plane. A lot. She told me all about Callie and their relationship. She was upset and I offered a shoulder for her to cry on, I guess."

"Uh huh."

Kayo could hear the skepticism in her friend's voice. She reconsidered Teddy's question before replying. "But that's not what you're asking me, is it? You're asking me if I hit on her, aren't you?"

"Did you?"

"Of course not, Bear." Kayo glared at her friend. "I can't believe you actually think I'd do that."

"I know how you operate, Kayo, and I'm not talking about surgery. I mean it. Why wouldn't you? She's attractive and smart; beauty and brains. That's a combination I happen to know you like very much." Teddy paused a moment. "Arizona's vulnerable and hurting right now, and that's another combination you find irresistible. You've usually swooped in by now; made your move."

"Bear, that's just fucking disturbing," Kayo said, irritation evident in her voice. "And I don't know what bothers me more."

"What?"

"The fact that you think I'd actually try to hit on Arizona, or the fact that you seem to have spent an inordinate amount of time contemplating my sex life."

"Kind of hard not to, Kayo. How many years did we share quarters? I know you better than you think."

"Well, I didn't, okay?" Kayo protested. "It was the goddamned flight attendant who was hitting on me. I didn't hit on anyone."

_Hmmm_, Teddy thought. _A flight attendant would be right up Kayo's alley. Then again, she seems just a bit touchy, protesting her innocence just a little too much_. Teddy sighed and contemplated just how she was going to tell her friend to back off without pissing her off too badly.

"Look, Kayo, Arizona's a _very _good friend of mine. I'm only going to say this once, okay?"

"What?"

"Give her some time to work it out with Callie. Don't be your usual 'Don Juanita'."

"I wasn't planning on it. I like her. I feel badly for her. But that's as far it goes." Deciding to mess with her friend, she muttered under her breath, "for now."

"Kayo…" Teddy warned.

"I'm joking, Bear. I know how Arizona feels about Callie. I would never interfere with their reconciliation" She saw the look of doubt on her friend's face. "If it'll make you feel any better, I swear I won't. I promise. I'll be on my best behavior. I will not hit on, pursue, or chase after Arizona Robbins," Kayo said, holding her hand up as if swearing her allegiance. "Unless it's truly over for her and Callie."

"Kayo!"

"I'm only human, Teddy. But you know my word is good."

"Uh huh… we'll see about that."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After fortifying herself with another cup of coffee, Arizona walked into Seattle Grace-Mercy West Hospital for the first time in over six weeks. She never thought she'd be back this soon, and it still bothered her that she hadn't lasted the three years in Malawi. Then again, Callie Torres wasn't someone she could easily get out of her mind, or her heart. She summoned up all her courage and plastered the perky smile on her face that she knew everyone was accustomed to. If anyone had bothered to look more closely, however, they would've seen that the smile didn't reach her eyes.

She nodded hello to everyone and hoped that by walking with a purpose, no one would stop her to talk. Her only goal at that moment was to find Chief Webber and get her job back.

As she rounded a corner, she spotted the Chief with Owen and Kayo. They were stopped in the hallway and the Chief and Kayo were shaking hands. Once they parted, Arizona decided to make her move. _It's now or never_, she thought. She shifted her purse to her other arm and approached the Chief of Surgery.

"Chief Webber?"

"Dr. Robbins?" The older man's eyes widened in surprise. "Are you here for a visit?"

"Um, no. That's what I want to talk to you about."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm back from Africa."

"What about the grant?" he queried as they walked together.

"I've got it all worked out."

"How?"

"I'll travel to Malawi every two months for the next three years to oversee everything. And I got a leading pediatric surgeon to oversee the day-to-day operations."

"Dr. Robbins, I signed a contract with a new peds attending. It's a year-long contract. I can't eat that money. I just don't have it."

"I don't understand… so you're saying,,, What? I can't have a job here?"

Alex Karev was stunned to see his mentor standing in the hallway talking to the Chief. He spun in his tracks, his white coat flapping behind him.

"Dr. Robbins, you're back!"

"Now that's the reaction I was hoping for."

The Chief felt his pager vibrating on his hip. "Excuse me, Dr. Robbins," he said, excusing himself.

Alex couldn't wipe the smile from his face. If Dr. Robbins was back, maybe, just maybe, he could get his career back on track.

"So, Karev, tell me about this new peds guy," Arizona said, linking her arm through his.

"Stark's an ass," Karev said bluntly. "He's horrible with the patients. The man doesn't know what bedside manner is. The kids are afraid of him," Alex rambled.

"Bad with kids? Why is he a pediatric surgeon?"

"Tell me about it." Alex turned to Arizona. "Are you back?"

"I'm working on it."

Alex's pager went off, then they heard several other pages beeping around them.

"Big emergency in the pit. I gotta go," he apologized.

"I understand. Go!"

"I'll find you later," he called back to her as he ran down the hall.

Arizona headed for the surgical floor, hoping to find Anne, her favorite scrub nurse. What she found was controlled chaos. One of the scrub nurses was wiping the surgical board clean and people were scurrying down the hall, pushing equipment and supplies toward the OR suites.

Arizona stopped one of the nurses.

"Dr. Robbins! Are you back? We sure can use you."

"What's going on?"

"There's been a shooting. Mass shooting. Some kid took a gun onto campus and opened fire."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Dr. Hunt!" the Chief called out.

Kayo and Owen turned around, the tour of the hospital coming to a halt.

"Yes, Chief?"

"We've got mass casualties on the way. A shooting. Dr. Dwyer, can you step in today? We're going to need every pair of hands we can get."

"Sure."

"Let's get you some scrubs and get down to the pit," Owen said, steering her toward the attendings locker room.

"You can put your stuff in my locker for now," Owen said, tossing Kayo a pair of scrubs.

Kayo stripped down to her t-shirt and underwear, handed her clothes to Owen, then put on the dark blue scrubs. Owen stuffed her fatigues into his locker.

"What do you need me to do?" Kayo asked as they sprinted down the stairs together.

"Can you help me run triage until we have a better idea of what's coming in?"

"Sure."

"Anything level one, take it to the OR. The staff will help you. They're good people, they know what they're doing."

They arrived at the pit, just as the Chief was explaining the situation. They put on gowns and stood beside Teddy as they waited for the ambulances.

"First day for you and it's a battle zone," Owen commented.

"Well, at least it'll be familiar to me."

Owen turned to the waiting doctors and nurses.

"Everybody, this is Dr. Dwyer. She's new here and she'll help run the triage."

Everyone was too tense to do more than nod at her. Teddy leaned closer to Kayo.

"FYI, Kayo. The dark haired woman at the end?"

"Yeah?"

"That's Callie Torres."

"Pretty," was all Kayo said.

The next thirty minutes were a blur for Kayo as she assessed injuries. When it seemed to slow down, she went through the hall and the exam rooms, trying to get a feel for the staff and their competence. From what she saw, she was pleased and impressed.

"Dr. Dwyer!" one of nurses called out.

"Yes?"

"We've got more ambulances arriving."

"On my way," she said hurrying outside with the few staff that was available.

The doors of the ambulance opened and the EMT rattled off the vitals of a patient with a chest wound.

"Pneumothorax," she said as an initial diagnosis, then quickly continued with her evaluation.

"We've got to get him stabilized and into an OR, stat." She turned to a red-haired woman. "You – what year are you?"

"Fourth."

"Can you put in a chest tube? He's got a right tension pneumothorax and cardiac tampenade. I need you to take care of the chest tube while I take care of the heart."

"I… I can…"

"Do it." Kayo turned to a nearby nurse. "Is Dr. Altman available?"

"She's still in surgery, and will be for a few more hours."

"How about Hunt?"

"Him, too."

"Okay. Get me an OR and a scrub nurse with thoracic experience, if possible." She turned to the resident who was putting in a chest tube. "Looks like you'll be assisting me," Kayo said. "I'm Dr. Dwyer."

"Kepner. April Kepner."

"They're holding an OR for you."

"Let's go people."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Standing in the hallway outside the OR suites dressed in her street clothes instead of usual dark blue scrubs, without anything to do felt surreal to Arizona. She was back in familiar surroundings, but she was an outsider. She tried to stay out of the way as one patient after another was brought onto the floor.

She caught a glimpse of Teddy and Cristina rushing from an elevator beside a gurney. _Cristina? I didn't know she was back. I got the impression last night that she hadn't returned to the hospital._

She watched as the names "Altman" and "Yang" were written on the board next to OR1. No other information was added to it, nor to any other names that were going up on the board. It was just a quick note to let everyone know which operating rooms were occupied and who was performing the surgery. A short time later, after hanging up the phone, a nurse added "Dwyer" and "Kepner" next to OR5. _Dwyer? Is that Kayo? Is that why the Chief was shaking her hand? Does she work here now?_

The elevator door opened again, but this time there was yelling and the group moved in an even bigger hurry. Arizona looked up and saw Kayo on the stretcher, straddling the patient, her hand in his chest. Her gown was covered in bright red crimson spots. April Kepner ran beside the gurney. Her gown was also splattered with blood.

"Go… go… " Kayo urged the staff as they disappeared into the OR.

As much as she wanted to operate, to help, Arizona knew she no longer had privileges. She didn't work there anymore. _Not yet, anyway_, she thought determinedly. She watched as Alex entered OR2 with a patient. It wasn't until she saw the name "Stark" and "Karev" written on the board that she decided to go into the gallery and watch. _Might as well check out the competition_, she argued with herself, not knowing that she'd soon be operating with one Calliope Torres.


	5. Especially the Ladies

**Nothing Comes Easily by captstarbuck**

**AN: This is, for the most part, Calzona, but Arizona-centric, with lots of other Grey's characters, especially Arizona's friendship with Teddy. It's slightly AU/Mostly Canon – Starts just before Arizona returns from Africa and varies a bit in the story of bringing them back together. Let's just say I bend the timeline and modify a few scenes to suit my own purposes.**

**AN2: Thanks again to Stacy, my beta reader. She's just "super"!**

**Disclaimers – ****All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual. (****I don't own any of the characters from Grey's Anatomy. All of that belongs to Shondaland et al. I just wanted to take them out and play)**

Chapter 5 – Especially the Ladies

"Helluva a first day," Kayo said, setting two full glasses and two bottles of beer on the table, pushing aside the empty glasses and bottles that had accumulated. "With the wounds I was seeing, I thought I was back in fuckin' Iraq."

"At least there aren't any bombs dropping," Teddy commented, picking up her drink.

"And no IEDs in the parking lot," Kayo added.

"Or snipers on the rooftops," Teddy continued, holding her glass out toward Kayo..

The clinked their glasses together before downing their shots.

Kayo looked around the bar, taking in all the doctors and nurses that were laughing loudly and drinking heavily.

"Are they always like this after a major trauma?"

"Tonight is an exception," Teddy explained. "A few months ago, some guy came in the hospital and shot it up. He killed a bunch of people including two residents, and wounded several others. It was pretty traumatic for everyone. I think tonight is about everyone letting go of that, to know they survived it."

"That's why the Chief made his little speech in the gallery while you were finishing up," Kayo said more to herself than Teddy.

Kayo spotted Arizona coming through the door and waved her over.

"'bout time you got here," Kayo remarked. "Join us."

"Yes, c'mon, Arizona," Teddy added, patting the chair next to her.

"You look like you need a drink," the trauma doctor said, noting how tired the blonde peds surgeon looked.

"And you two look like you've had more than just a drink," Arizona replied as she observed the empty glasses and bottles and the slightly loopy grins on her friends' faces. She took her coat off and placed it atop the other coats that were piled onto a chair before she sat beside Teddy.

"Then you need to catch up." Teddy stood up. "This round's on me."

Once the cardio surgeon left the table, Kayo focused her full attention on Arizona.

"Congratulations, Kayo. I heard you're the new trauma surgeon."

"Congratulations to you as well, I heard the Chief hired you back."

"We'll see how well that works."

"You saw Callie." Not a question, but a statement. Kayo had heard about the surgery that Arizona had done with Callie, but only the medical details. She was too new to the hospital for the nurses to share any really good gossip in front of her.

"We worked on a patient together, then we talked."

"How'd it go?" Kayo asked as she finished her bottle of beer in two large gulps.

"How'd what go?" Teddy asked, setting down the drinks.

"Callie," Kayo explained.

"I heard you two operated together," Teddy said, sinking into the chair beside Arizona.

"The surgery was good, the talk… not so good."

"I'm sorry, Arizona." Kayo patted her hand. "It's not going to happen overnight."

Teddy reached over and squeezed her friend's shoulder in an attempt to console her.

"Give it time, Arizona."

"I flew half a world to come back to her. All she can see is that I left her. She told me that I came back but she didn't." Arizona looked down at the table and said quietly to herself, "_I_ came back."

Her friends sat in silence, not sure what they could say to comfort her. Arizona was suddenly embarrassed. She was doing exactly what she swore she wouldn't do. Once again, her father's words echoed through her head. _Suck it up, Marine_.

"I'm sorry, guys. I shouldn't be dragging down your night."

"It's okay, sweetie," Teddy said. "We're all a little out of sorts tonight after the day we've had."

They heard a sudden burst of laughter from a group of doctors standing by the bar. Arizona winced, hearing the familiar laugh of her former girlfriend. Kayo looked over her shoulder and saw the source of Arizona's pain.

"I'm going to go," Arizona said, setting down her partially full glass. "It's been a long day."

Kayo gently, but firmly laid her large hand on Arizona's forearm.

"You can do this, Arizona," she said softly. "You can't run forever."

"I know, I know. I'm just so tired."

Kayo suddenly stood up. "Switch seats with me. You won't have to look at her then."

Arizona hesitated and Kayo gently pulled her to her feet. "Now sit down, relax and have a drink or two with your friends."

The peds surgeon gave Kayo a small smile and then sat down, her back now facing the bar.

"So, Teddy, tell me about your surgery," Kayo said, changing the topic. "Heard you and Yang were kick-ass in there. I really wanted to see it but, well, I was kind of busy with my own." She leaned back, balancing her chair on two legs, the back resting on the wall behind her.

"Quite an entrance you made, Kayo," Arizona said, sipping from her gin and tonic.

"Well, Dwyer always did have a flair for the dramatic," Teddy teased, glad the conversation had turned away from Callie.

"The look on Kepner's face was priceless," Arizona added. "Watching her run beside the gurney with you on it was… I would've laughed had it been any other situation."

"Kepner?" Kayo asked.

"She assisted you."

"Oh, that's her name. I couldn't remember it. She did okay once she got in the OR. I wasn't too sure how she'd do. That deer in the headlights look on her face at first concerned me."

"Heard you went all "rambo" on Stark, Arizona" Teddy said with a smile.

"Not my most professional moment, I admit," Arizona said, her cheeks turning slightly pink.

"Rambo, huh?" Kayo asked with a smile. "That surprises me."

"Don't let the dimples fool you," Teddy laughed. "Underneath those blonde locks and baby blues is one tough cookie."

The three of them laughed out loud. For Arizona, it was probably the first time she'd truly laughed in months, and it felt good.

"How was Yang?" Arizona asked Teddy.

"She did all right. I think she's ready to come back."

"Back from where?" Kayo asked.

"Remember that shooting I was telling you about?"

Kayo nodded, rocking her chair back onto all four legs once again.

"Well, Cristina had a pretty traumatic experience with it."

Teddy filled Kayo in on what had happened.

"Fuck me. I've operated in some pretty hairy situations, but never with a gun pointed at my head," Kayo commented after Teddy finished telling the story. "I don't know if I could make it back to an OR after that."

"Well, we had our doubts, but she's back. I'm glad. She's a gifted surgeon." Teddy's eyes narrowed and a look of horror crossed her face when she realized what she'd said. "And don't either of you ever tell her I said that."

Arizona laughed.

"Cross my heart, Bear," Kayo said running her finger across her chest. "Ready for another?" she asked, getting up.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Callie sat at the bar, sipping her drink. She downed her first shot easily enough, but the second shot was making her queasy. She noticed the new trauma surgeon walk, almost swagger, up to the bar. The tall woman nodded once to Callie and then turned to Owen and a very drunk Cristina Yang.

"GI Jane, you are a trauma god," Yang exclaimed, her drink sloshing over the edges as she waved her hand.

"And you, Cristina Yang are a very drunk cardio-god-in-waiting."

"She rocked, Owen. I rocked. We all rocked," Cristina announced to anyone who would listen.

Callie reached in front of Kayo for her drink.

"Dwyer, right?" she asked the army-fatigue wearing doctor who waited in line for her drink.

"Yeah. Torres?"

"Jesus Christ isn't the only carpenter who walks on water," Cristina interrupted. "Callie's a rockstar with a scalpel."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm a badass," Callie said with smile, brushing off Cristina's compliment.

"Did you hear about GI Jane cracking that chest in the elevator? Hardcore."

"Must've missed it," Callie said taking another sip from her drink.

"No more hardcore than you doing a thoracotomy in the field," Kayo said, still a little awed with what the resident had done.

"I am so back," Cristina continued. "I feel good!" She started to sing, off-key, a little of the James Brown song.

Callie and Kayo both burst out laughing.

"On that note," Owen cut her off.

"And a badly sung one at that," Kayo added with a grin.

Owen's attempts to steer his wife away from the bar were lost in the din of the celebrating doctors and nurses.

Kayo placed her drink order, then sized up the woman sitting at the bar. Callie Torres was beautiful. Kayo's eyes made a second pass, taking in the dark hair and eyes, the full lips, the curves of her body... _Mmmm… That woman's lips are made to be kissed_. Kayo could completely understand Arizona's feelings for the Latina. She licked her lips unconsciously. _God, if she wasn't the object of Arizona's affections_…. She suppressed a small groan.

"Nice job on saving that leg," Kayo complimented the ortho surgeon, deciding that sticking to the medicine was the safest topic of conversation.

"Thanks."

"Sure could've used your hands in the sandbox." _And I can think of many other places that could use your hands_, Kayo thought.

"The what?"

"Iraq."

"You were there?"

"And Afghanistan."

Callie picked up her drink, then set it back down as the smell of the tequila was now making her stomach roll.

"First day?" she asked Kayo, trying to make conversation. Kayo certainly wasn't her type, but she _was_ interesting looking. _My gaydar, or bi-dar, as Mark calls it, is pinging with this woman._

"Yeah. Are they always like this?"

"No."

"Only if we're lucky," Cristina interrupted again before downing what was left of her drink.

"So, I finally get to meet the infamous GI Jane," said a booming voice from Kayo's right. She turned to the tall, sandy-gray haired man with a scruffy, short beard.

"And you are?" Kayo asked, squaring her shoulders and looking him straight in the eyes.

"Mark Sloan, Plastics."

"Kayo Dwyer, Trauma."

Callie's attention moved from her drink to Mark and Kayo. She could always count on Mark to be entertaining; insufferable at times, but almost always entertaining. She watched his eyes give Kayo the once-over.

"Anyone ever tell you how hot a woman in uniform is?"

Kayo resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Callie didn't. _Lame, Mark. Really lame_, she thought as raised her glass again. _Dr. Dwyer is clearly not your type. Are you blind?_

"All the time," Kayo replied with a grin. "Especially the ladies. The uniform… it's a chick magnet." She leaned closer and patted Mark on the arm. "And since that's one of the worst pickup lines I've ever heard, why don't you come see me some time when you're ready to learn one that actually works."

Mark's eyes widened and for a moment he was speechless.

Callie laughed out loud at Kayo's words and Mark's inability to respond. As much as she loved her best friend, he could be a pig, and she was always amused when someone could take him down a peg or two.

Kayo turned back to the bar, dismissing Mark. She paid the bartender, nodded once to Callie, then carried the small tray with two bottles of beer, two shot glasses full of whiskey, and a gin and tonic.

Callie's interest was more than a little piqued and she watched Kayo head back to her table. She saw Teddy Altman waiting for her and there was someone else sitting with them. She wanted to know who it was but Mark was blocking most of her view of the table across the bar.

"Well, Torres, I think the new girl in town is just what the doctor ordered for you," he said after watching Callie's eyes follow the trauma surgeon.

"What?" She was baffled for a moment, then realized what he was saying. She turned to her best friend and made a face. "Are you kdding me? No."

"Why not? Somebody new just might be the thing to help you get over Blondie."

Mark didn't believe a word of what he was saying. He was just trying in his own perverse way to get Callie back with Arizona. He knew his best friend wasn't really interested in the trauma doctor. He was hoping that a little prodding on his part would spur Callie to take some action. Her plan of not speaking to Arizona wasn't going to work.

"Have you lost your mind? No, Mark. No." She shook her head vehemently.

"Can't hurt," he persisted. "You know, something totally different for you. I know you like your women blond and…" He paused. "…more on the feminine side…"

"Mark!"

"Still, the androgynous look might be… palate cleansing."

"You did NOT just go there, Mark. You are such an ass." She slammed her half-full glass down on the bar, grabbed her bag and stormed out of the bar.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I have got to get to the store tomorrow and get some civilian clothes," Kayo muttered to her friends as she set their drinks down.

"What?"

"Your co-workers are very drunk, and one of them just informed me that my uniform, such as it is, is 'hot'."

"Who said that?"

"Mark Sloan."

Arizona chuckled and Teddy rolled her eyes, a smile that was part knowing smirk and part disgust crossing her face.

"That's got to be a record for him," the cardio doctor commented. "It took him a whole day to hit on you."

"Well, it's not like I didn't have anything else to do," Kayo said sarcastically. She turned to Arizona. "How 'bout it, Robbins?"

"What?"

"Want to go shopping with me tomorrow seeing as how my entire wardrobe consists of fatigues and scrubs? We can go after we fill out our paperwork in HR."

"I, uh, I don't know…"

"Tomorrow we shop." Kayo picked up her beer. "Tonight we drink."

"Yes, definitely, to tonight's plans, but tomorrow…"

"I won't take no for an answer." Kayo grinned. "C'mon, Arizona, I could use a guide getting around."

"Oh, all right."

Teddy looked at her friends over the top of her glass, and felt a small bit of uneasiness settle over her. She hoped that Kayo remembered their talk, her promise.

Arizona set her empty glass on the table and reached for her coat and purse.

"I'm going to head back to the hotel. I'm pretty tired."

"Hotel? Not happening, Arizona," Teddy said, finishing her beer.

"Why not?"

"Kayo and I packed your stuff and took it to my place when you went AWOL this morning."

"You didn't have to do that, Teddy."

"It's what friends do, Arizona."

Tears pricked at the corner of Arizona's eyes, but not because she was sad or upset. She was overwhelmed at how much her friends cared about her. She put her hand on Teddy's arm and squeezed it. "Thanks."

"Anytime," Teddy said. "Now let's get you home."

"Okay," Arizona agreed. She held out her hand. "Keys."

"What?"

"Give me your keys, Teddy. I've had far less to drink than the two of you."

"I'm okay to drive."

"Teddy, let me. It's what friends do," she said with a smile.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So, sleeping arrangements," Teddy said as she dropped her purse on the counter.

"I'll take the couch," Kayo said.

"No, you've been serving overseas," Arizona countered. "You take the spare room."

"Nope. I'm perfectly content to take the couch. I insist." Kayo reached into the refrigerator for a beer. "You're just going to have to share space for me to store my clothes."

"I can't do that, Kayo."

"What? You can't share space?"

"No, sleep in the spare room."

"You two settle this," Teddy said, dropping a set of sheets and a blanket on the couch. "Just flip a coin, rock-paper-scissors, odds-evens. I don't care. I'm going to bed. I've got rounds in the morning."

"Can we ride with you to the hospital?" Kayo asked.

"Of course, but it'll be early. I'm leaving at six."

"Not a problem."

Teddy tossed a quiet "Good night" over her shoulder and disappeared into her bedroom.

"Arizona, take the spare room. I insist. I'm sure the beds I've been sleeping on the past eight years have been far more comfortable than what you had in Malawi."

"I'm not going to win this argument, am I?"

"Nope," Kayo said, flopping down onto the couch. She took her boots off then set her feet on the coffee table. "I'm fine where I am." She took a long drink from her bottle of beer. "I've got the TV and the beer's close by. What more could a girl ask for?"

Arizona smiled and shook her head. "Okay then. I guess I'll see you in the morning."

"G'night, Arizona," Kayo said, picking up the TV remote.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Almost two hours later, Arizona was still awake. The double bed seemed so empty to her. Sure, she'd been sleeping alone in Malawi, but she'd been sleeping on a small bed. While in Africa, she always worked until she could barely stand up. Crawling into the tiny twin bed exhausted and alone rarely gave her time or the energy to think about missing Callie in bed. But now, in a real bed with real sheets and an empty spot beside her was too much for her.

She sat up and looked toward the door. A dim light peeking under the door let her know that Kayo was probably still up, or the TV had been left on. She turned the light on and rummaged through her suitcase until she found a pair of sweatpants. She quietly opened the bedroom door and went out into the living room.

Kayo looked like she hadn't moved since Arizona had gone to bed. She was still sitting up on the sofa, beer in hand, watching some sports show. The only thing that had changed was there were two empty bottles of beer on the coffee table.

"You okay?" she asked the blonde, her voice quiet and gentle.

"I can't sleep."

"You want to talk?" she offered, patting the sofa beside her.

Arizona sat down next to Kayo and took a deep breath.

"I miss Callie," she sighed. "Like, I really, really miss her. Seeing her today, talking to her… I just miss her."

"C'mere," Kayo said, holding out her arm.

Arizona leaned against Kayo's shoulder, sinking into the warmth of her body.

"It's okay, Arizona. It's okay if you want to cry."

Arizona pressed her face against Kayo's shoulder and wept quietly, her hand clutching the collar of Kayo's t-shirt. Kayo draped her arm around the smaller woman and held her close. She tenderly rubbed her back, trying to offer her some sort of comfort.

"It'll be okay, Arizona. It'll be okay," she said soothingly.


	6. Settling In

Nothing Comes Easily by captstarbuck

**AN: This is, for the most part, Calzona, but Arizona-centric, with lots of other Grey's characters, especially Arizona's friendship with Teddy. It's slightly AU/Mostly Canon – Starts just before Arizona returns from Africa and varies a bit in the story of bringing them back together. Let's just say I bend the timeline and modify a few scenes to suit my own purposes.**

**AN2: Again, thanks to my beta reader, Stacy. **

**Disclaimers – ****All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual. (****I don't own any of the characters from Grey's Anatomy. All of that belongs to Shondaland et al. I just wanted to take them out and play)**

Chapter Six – Settling In

Dressed in her usual sleeping attire of an oversized Columbia University t-shirt and a pair of faded sweatpants, Teddy Altman headed to her kitchen. As she reached for the coffee beans, she glanced over at the couch to see if Kayo was awake. What she saw nearly made her drop the bag. Kayo was sound asleep, slouched on one end of the couch, her feet on the coffee table. Arizona was curled up on her side, her head resting on a pillow in Kayo's lap. A blanket was tucked around the blonde and Kayo's hand rested on Arizona's shoulder.

The cardio surgeon was so angry she saw red. _I am so going to kill you, Kayo fucking Dwyer._ Teddy ranted internally._ You promised me you would leave Arizona alone. How could you lie to me?_ She set the coffee beans down, and walked over to Kayo.

"Wake up, Dwyer!" she said loudly as she cuffed Kayo in the back of the head.

"What the…" Kayo reached up and rubbed her head. "Ow."

"Get up, Kayo. We need to talk."

The movement of Kayo's body and the loud voices woke Arizona up. She was groggy and confused. "Where am I?" she asked, lifting her head.

"You fell asleep watching tv," Kayo said, looking at Teddy as she carefully stood up, trying not to jostle Arizona any further.

"Arizona, we're leaving in an hour," Teddy said, ignoring Kayo for the moment. "Would you start the coffee? I need to talk to Kayo."

"Sure," she said, not awake enough to really comprehend what was going on around her. "What's going on?" she asked, sitting up.

"Nothing to concern you," Teddy said brusquely.

"Okay, then…" Arizona was a little shocked at Teddy's manner.

"Arizona, you can have the bathroom first," Kayo offered. "I'm going to be a few minutes."

Arizona watched from the kitchen as Teddy, her hand firmly grasped around Kayo's bicep, dragged Kayo out of the room and into her bedroom. _What the heck is that all about? Teddy seems to be really mad at Kayo. _

Teddy closed the bedroom and door and faced her friend. She pursed her lips and glared at Kayo, her expression letting Kayo know of her displeasure.

"What the hell did I do to piss you off so much?" Kayo asked, not bothering to hide her irritation.

"Do you not recall the conversation we had just yesterday morning?"

"Yeah, I do. And?"

"Well, finding Arizona sleeping with you on the sofa… with her head in your lap… kinda breaks your promise, don't you think?" she hissed, trying to keep her voice down so that Arizona couldn't hear them talking.

"Bear, nothing happened. She couldn't sleep and came to me. She was missing Callie, and she cried for a little while on my shoulder. We talked some, watched some tv then we both fell asleep. That's all it fucking was. I did not initiate anything, nor did I attempt to make it anything more than it was. She came to me," she repeated.

"How convenient. And I suppose it won't take too many more nights before you're consoling her in bed, right?"

Kayo was getting annoyed with her friend's accusations. "You're out of line, Bear."

"Am I?"

"Look, I don't need a fuck buddy. They're a dime a dozen. You and I both know I have no trouble finding one." Kayo took a deep breath. "I'm not looking for that with Arizona."

"Then what are you looking for? A relationship?"

"Fuck no! You know I don't do relationships."

"What do you want?"

"A friend. Right now, I have exactly two friends here; you and Owen. I could use another one. I'm hoping that I can call Arizona a friend. Okay? I want Arizona as a friend, nothing more." Kayo shook her head. "Damn, Bear, can't I at least catch a break from you?"

"Well, you make it pretty hard sometimes, Kayo."

"Just trust me for a change, okay?"

"I will, until you give me reason not to anymore."

"That's all I'm asking." Kayo stretched. "I gotta get some coffee. We good?"

"We're good. Go get ready," she said. "I don't need you to help me get dressed."

"Maybe you could use my help with the undressing?" Kayo offered with a grin. "I'm really good at that."

"Go!" Teddy said with a smile and a gentle shove.

Kayo left Teddy's bedroom and returned to the kitchen. Arizona had already changed and the coffee pot was nearly full.

"Bathroom's all yours, Kayo," Arizona said, picking up the coffee pot and filling her mug.

"Thanks. I won't be long," Kayo said, walking into the spare bedroom.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Teddy handed Arizona the keys to her car as they walked into the lobby of the hospital.

"Have fun shopping today. I should be done at six. If not, I'll text you."

"Okay."

"Kayo, text me when you're done with HR," Teddy said.

"What for?" Kayo asked nervously. _She better not be planning another lecture about my behavior. I'm getting tired of defending myself._

"Time for your phsyical."

"Bear, that's not necessary."

"Yes, it is, Kayo," Teddy insisted, ignoring the scowl on her friend's face.

"No. No fucking way. Not gonna happen, Bear," Kayo snapped back at her friend. "C'mon, Arizona, I need some breakfast," she added, walking off in what she hoped was the direction of the hospital cafeteria.

"What's that about?" Arizona asked, stunned by Kayo's outburst.

Teddy hesitated. "Um, Kayo was wounded awhile back and I want to make sure she's okay."

"Was it bad?" Arizona recalled the Purple Heart and other ribbons on Kayo's uniform. "Wait a minute. Doesn't she have a Silver Star and a Bronze Star?"

"Yes, and a Distinguished Service Cross, too."

"Wow," Arizona said more to herself than Teddy. Her father didn't even have one of those medals. "Do those awards have anything to do with her injuries?"

"Probably. I've contacted our old company commander to get more information, unofficially of course."

"Of course." Arizona asked again, "How bad are her injuries?"

"I don't know. I think it was worse than she's letting on." Teddy looked at her watch. "I've got to get ready for rounds. I'll talk to you later."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Arizona found Kayo in the hall by the cafeteria.

"So, is the food any good here or should we grab breakfast someplace else?" Kayo asked, acting as if her earlier eruption hadn't happened.

"Breakfast isn't _too_ bad, but stay away from the fried eggs. Oh, and avoid the oatmeal, too." Arizona made a face. "The fried eggs, they're overcooked and rubbery. Just sad, really. And the oatmeal? It's downright disgusting." Arizona rolled her eyes. "I mean, seriously, how can you ruin oatmeal?" she asked as they got into line. "It's just water and oatmeal. It couldn't be simpler. Even _I_ could cook it if I had to."

Kayo stopped and looked at Arizona, amusement on her face. "Are you always like this in the morning?"

"What?"

"What did your friends call you the other night… _McPerky_?"

Arizona blushed. "Sorry. I guess I'm feeling a little excited… and anxious… about returning to work."

"I wouldn't worry about it," Kayo said, placing an apple and a banana on her tray. "I'm sure you'll be fine."

"Is that all you're going to have?" Arizona asked, looking down at Kayo's food selections.

"No. I thought I'd get myself the largest coffee they have and something not nearly as nutritious. I'm thinking that cinnamon roll over there or…oh, even better, that chocolate covered donut has my name on it."

Arizona's eyes lit up. "You like donuts? I love donuts." She quickly surveyed the fresh donuts and spotted one that she really wanted, but it was near the back of the serving trays. She tried to grab it, but it was just out of her reach.

"Which one are you trying to get?" Kayo asked.

"The one with the pink frosting and chocolate sprinkles... the one in the back."

Kayo, with her long arms, easily retrieved the donut for her friend. "Here. Now you can't say I never did anything for you," she laughed, setting the sugary treat next to the yogurt and granola Arizona had already selected.

"My hero," Arizona grinned, her dimples on full display.

"If that's all it takes to impress you, Arizona," Kayo teased, "I'm sure I could…"

In an instant Kayo realized that what she was instinctively doing was wrong. After Teddy's reaction this morning, she clearly did _not_ want to turn teasing into flirting, so she quickly shut her mouth.

"Could what?"

"Nothing. It's… I… um… I forgot what I was going to say."

"I don't believe you. Tell me." Arizona gave Kayo what she thought was her best "you'd-better-do-as-I-say-or-else" look.

"If you think that face you're giving me is going to work, forget it," Kayo laughed, taking out her wallet to pay for breakfast. "It takes a whole lot more than that to break me."

"Fine." Arizona planted a fake pout on her lips, then laughed when Kayo stuck her tongue out at her.

The two women found a small table near the back of the dining room. The room had started to fill with the usual morning crowd and they were lucky to find a place to sit. Kayo took note that Arizona had chosen the seat that faced away from the entrance of the room. _I'd hazard a guess that Arizona's trying to avoid seeing a certain orthopedic surgeon_, Kayo mused as she cut her apple with surgical precision using the penknife that she always carried.

"So, what was that all about with Teddy this morning?" Arizona asked as she stirred the granola into her yogurt. "I hope my staying with you two isn't causing problems."

"Nah, don't worry about it. We get on each other's nerves at times. It's nothing."

"Kayo, can I ask you a personal question?" Arizona asked after she finished her yogurt.

"You can ask me anything you want. I won't guarantee I'll give you an answer," Kayo smirked.

"You and Teddy, friends or…"

"Friends. We've never been anything more and we never will be." Kayo peeled her banana. "So, we're going to have some time to kill after breakfast before we go to HR," she said, changing the topic. "Any ideas what we can do?"

"I can give you a quick tour of the hospital. I doubt you saw much yesterday."

"Nope. Just the really important places, like the ER and the surgical floor."

"You truly need to see _the_ most important place."

"And that would be?" Kayo asked before she bit into her donut.

"Peds, of course!" A wide smile broke out on Arizona's face.

"Peds? Most important?" Kayo scoffed. "Yeah. Right. Uh huh."

"Hey! Peds is hardcore," Arizona defended. "It doesn't get any better than big surgeries on tiny humans."

"Seriously? Tiny humans?"

Arizona nodded, her dimples back in full force. Kayo was instantly entranced by the blonde's enthusiasm for her chosen surgical specialty.

"Then Peds it is," she agreed. "I'll go wherever you want to go."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Between the cafeteria, the hallways, and the elevators, Kayo's head was spinning from all the introductions Arizona had made. She was impressed with how genuinely happy the staff from the doctors on down to the maintenance crew was at Arizona's return to the hospital.

"So, welcome to my kingdom," Arizona said as they approached the nurses' station in the pediatric ward. "Well, not exactly _my_ kingdom…"

"I know what you mean. No need to explain."

Upon seeing their favorite doctor, the nurses crowded around her, hugging her as they fired questions at her.

"Dr. Robbins! Is it true?"

"Are you back?"

"Are you replacing Dr. Stark?"

"We're so glad to see you."

"When do you start?"

"Hi, everybody. Yes, I'm back. No, I'm not replacing Dr. Stark. He's still head of the department."

Arizona was thrilled at the response of the pediatric staff. Maybe it wasn't working out quite as she'd hoped with Callie, but at least she still had her work.

Several of the nurses didn't bother to hide their disappointment at Arizona's last remark.

"Are you starting back today?"

"No, I won't know until I meet with HR."

Out of the corner of her eye, Arizona saw Kayo and realized she hadn't introduced her.

"Dr. Dwyer, I'd like you to meet the best staff and the best department in the hospital. Everyone, this is Dr. Kayo Dwyer. She's joining Seattle Grace as a trauma surgeon."

Kayo nodded and offered a polite "hello" to the nurses, paying particular attention to the prettier nurses. She was soon distracted from said thoughts when a resident with a surly look on his face approached Arizona.

"Dr. Robbins, are you really back?" he asked bluntly.

"Unofficially, yes."

"Great". A rare smile crossed Alex Karev's face. "Do you want to see our patient?"

"Absolutely." She looked over Karev's shoulder at Kayo. "Do you mind waiting, Dr. Dwyer? I'll only be a minute or two."

"No problem. Take your time," Kayo said, leaning against the nurses' station. She could use the time to scope out the nurses.

"Super. Thanks."

Arizona took the patient's chart from Alex and quickly scanned it as they walked to the teenager's room. She saw the familiar scrawl of Callie's notes on the chart and she felt a tug at her heart. She wasn't sure if she sorry she'd missed Callie earlier, or glad that she had.

"How's her leg?" Arizona asked.

"Torres was already here this morning. It's looking good. She saved her leg."

"That's awesome. You did the right thing yesterday, Karev."

Alex Karev hid the blush and the small smile that crossed his face. He didn't normally seek nor need praise to know he had done a good job. It was different story, however, when his mentor complimented him. He wouldn't admit it, but he ate up any kind words and encouragement she gave him.

After a fifteen minute visit with the patient, Arizona and her prized resident headed back. Kayo was still leaning oh-so-casually against the counter with what Arizona could only describe as an oh-so-casual cocky smile on her face. Four or five nurses were standing around her. talking. Arizona couldn't hear what they were saying, but as she approached them, she swore she heard giggling.

"Y'know, Dr. Robbins, I may have to switch my specialty from trauma," Kayo said as Arizona reached the nurses' station.

"To peds?" Arizona asked, her voice heavy with skepticism.

"Why not? It seems to be where all the beautiful women are," Kayo said charmingly as she winked at the nurses.

Two of the nurses blushed and this time Arizona was sure that more than one of them actually giggled. Apparently Kayo had been flirting and they had been flirting right back with her.

"Time for us to go to HR," Arizona stated, setting the chart on the counter.

"I'll be back," Kayo said to the women still gathered together. "Can't keep me away from the prettiest women in Seattle."

Arizona rolled her eyes as she and Kayo waited for the elevator. She glanced at her friend as she stood beside her. Kayo had a small smile, almost a smirk, on her face.

"I sure hope you take the time to read the hospital's sexual harassment policy, Kayo," she teased as she stepped into the elevator.

"I wasn't harassing anyone." Kayo leaned back against the wall as the doors closed. "I'm just trying to meet new people, make new friends."

"Oh, is that what they're calling it now?" she retorted.

"Smartass."

"Better a smartass than a dumbass."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kayo was amazed with the amount of paperwork she had to fill out. Seattle Grace-Mercy West's bureaucracy rivaled the United States Army. Fortunately for Kayo, her mustering out documents and an attractive and exceedingly helpful HR administrative assistant made it a less than painful process.

For Arizona, her meeting in HR was just a matter of updating a few documents and re-activating accounts. Once she was finished, she remained in the HR waiting room as she knew Kayo would be awhile longer. She took out her cell phone and texted Teddy.

10:38 waiting for ko. meet for lunch later? – az

10:42 meeting w/ pt 11; surg 1:30. owen might join us. 12 ok? – t

10:44 sounds good. will meet u in caf 12 – az

She looked up from her phone when the door opened and Kayo emerged with the HR administrative assistant.

"I'll see you first thing Monday, Dr. Dwyer. I'll have your badge, security card, your pager, your personalized lab coats and your Seattle Grace jacket waiting for you. After that you'll get your schedule from Dr. Hunt."

"Okay, then. Thank you for taking such good care of me," Kayo said, shaking her hand.

"Oh, one more thing," the admin assistant said, as she read a note that had been handed to her. "You need to report to room 248."

"What for?"

"It doesn't say."

Kayo shrugged her shoulders. "Okay."

"What's room 248?" Kayo asked Arizona as they exited the HR department together.

"Not sure. Maybe an office or an exam room?"

They walked across the bridge that connected the two sections of the hospital.

"Kayo, I'm going to find an empty on-call room and make a phone call or two while you're doing…" Arizona gestured with her hand. "Doing whatever it is you're going to be doing."

"Sure. You don't have to wait for me."

"I'll stop back in half an hour or so and then we can meet Teddy for lunch."

"Sounds like a plan." Kayo looked at the signs beside each door until she found the correct room. "I'll see you in a little while."

Kayo knocked on the door, opening it when she heard a muffled "come in". She was surprised, then angry to see Teddy standing there with a clipboard in her hand.

"What the fuck, Bear?"

"Time for your checkup, Kayo, and don't give me any more of your crap."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Arizona went to the nearest on-call room. She set her purse on a bed, took out a small notebook and her cell phone. Unlike most of her colleagues, Arizona hadn't gone completely digital. She still kept addresses and phone numbers in a small notebook. Yes, she had most of the same data stored in her phone, but she always liked a backup.

As she scrolled through the names in her phone, she paused when she saw the 'Mom & Dad' entry. _I've got to call them, but now is not the time or place. Tonight. I'll definitely call them tonight. I can't put it off any longer. I'm sure I'll be in hot water with them for not having called them the minute I landed_.

She hesitated again but only for moment then 'practical' Arizona took over. She kept scrolling through the list until she found the name she was looking for. She pressed the 'Dial' button. Within a few rings, it went to the expected voice mail.

"Hi, this is Arizona Robbins. Doctor Arizona Robbins. You're subletting my apartment right now. I wanted to talk to you about buying you out. Please call me at 206…"

Quickly finding the next number, she placed a call to make arrangements to get her car out of storage over the weekend.

As she was ending the call, the door opened. Arizona looked up to see Lexie Grey, her arms full of charts, a cup of coffee perched precariously atop the stack.

"Oh, Dr. Robbins, I'm sorry. I can find someplace else to work on my charts."

"No, that's okay. I was just making some phone calls and waiting for Kayo," the peds surgeon said, getting to her feet and taking the coffee from the brunette before it spilled.

"When are you coming back?" Lexie asked, setting the charts down onto one of the beds,

"Dr. Stark scheduled me to start on the night shift Sunday."

"Figures. He's not a very pleasant person."

"So I've heard… and experienced."

"He makes Alex seem almost… perky."

Arizona and Lexie shared a laugh, both realizing the incongruity of her statement.

"I'm really glad you're back, Dr. Robbins."

"It's Arizona, Lexie," she corrected the younger doctor.

Lexie looked at the peds surgeon and knew what she was thinking, knew what she wanted to ask.

"She missed you," Lexie blurted.

"Who?" Arizona tried to act as disinterested as she could. _Am I that obvious?_ _Does it show that much, all the time?_

"Callie. She was miserable when you left."

"And now she's just mad," Arizona countered. "She won't even speak to me."

"She's mad, but she's really moody, too. Even more than when you first left."

"Probably because I came back."

"No, she's been really… just all over the place," Lexie tried to explain. "Her moods swings lately are, well, terrifying for the interns." She added, "and the residents."

Lexie watched Arizona's face darken. She felt badly for the blonde woman, someone she admired as a doctor and as a woman. She wished she could offer some words of encouragement or support, but for once, she didn't know what to say.

"Gosh, look at the time," Arizona said with false cheer. "Kayo and I are supposed to meet Teddy for lunch."

She stood up and grabbed her purse.

"Thanks, Lexie. I'm sure I'll be seeing you around the hospital soon."

"Welcome back, Arizona."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sitting at a table near the back of the cafeteria, Mark Sloan joined his best friend for lunch. He couldn't help but notice how her attention seemed to be completely focused on a foursome of doctors seated across the room. The Latina never hid her emotions, and today was no exception. What surprised the Plastic Surgeon was the myriad of feelings that he saw crossing her face one after another. Anger. Hurt. Jealousy. Love. Longing.

"You're staring," he said, before biting into his apple.

"What? No, I'm not."

"Yeah, you are." He took another bite from his apple. "So, what are you going to do?"

"Do about what?"

"Blondie. Do I need to start setting money aside for bail?"

"What are you talking about?"

"The daggers you're shooting her could end up being lethal. You know, if looks could kill…"

"Not funny."

"I'm serious, Cal. What are you going to do?" he repeated. "You can't avoid her forever."

"It's a big hospital, Mark, and I'm sure I can avoid her most of the time."

"That's just stupid." He finished off his apple. "You should just talk to her; find out why she came back."

"I already know. She missed me, or so she says," Callie said with some disdain. "She told me that she's sorry and that she loves me."

"Isn't that what you want to hear?"

"Not the point, Mark. She LEFT me! And if she thinks she can just come back and act like nothing happened, well that isn't going to work."

"And what will?"

Mark braced himself for another rant that never came. Her anger dissipated as quickly as it had come on.

"I don't know… nothing… "

"Callie…"

"No, Mark, I don't want to talk about it anymore." She picked up her tray. "I need to get away for a little while. I can't be here right now."

"Don't go."

"I'm going to give Addison a call and see if I can stay with her for a few days."

"Are you sure, Cal? You know you can keep staying with me."

"I know, Mark, and I appreciate it, but I need some space." She glanced over at the table where Arizona was laughing along with the new trauma surgeon and Owen and Teddy. "Yeah, I definitely need to get away," she said more to herself than to her best friend.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"God, I am so glad that's over," Kayo said, dumping the bags full of clothes on the bed in the spare room at Teddy's. "I hate, HATE, to shop for clothes."

"Really? I hadn't noticed," Arizona teased as they walked back into the main room of the small cottage.

"I hate it more than you hate flying,"Kayo commented as she reached into the refrigerator for a beer. "Is it too late for me to re-enlist? At least I never had to worry about what I was going to wear." She raised the bottle at Arizona and when the blonde nodded, took out another.

"Well I can assure you I'll never take you shopping again. You're on your own next time," Arizona responded, taking the beer from Kayo.

"Good. At least I won't be dragged into stores that I have no business being in."

"Bitch, bitch, bitch," Arizona replied with a laugh as she opened her beer.

Kayo poked around in the refrigerator, then opened all the cupboards.

"What are you looking for?" Arizona asked as she hopped up onto a stool at the breakfast bar.

"Food. There isn't any."

"Teddy's like most of us who work at the hospital." She saw the questioning look on Kayo's face. "Eat out or at the hospital," she explained_. Or have a girlfriend who likes to cook_, she thought with some anguish.

"Screw that." Kayo looked at the clock. "Do we have time to run to the grocery store before we have to pick up Bear?"

"Sure. Why?"

"Well, if that grill out back works, I was thinking of throwing a couple of steaks on it. I know Bear loves a good steak. How about you?"

"Oh, that would be super. I haven't had a home cooked meal in forever."

After determining that the gas grill was working, Kayo and Arizona drove to the nearest grocery store. A rushed trip through the market was followed by a stop at the liquor store. Once the bags were unloaded, Arizona drove to the hospital to pick up Teddy and Kayo stayed behind to start dinner.

"So, how was your day," Teddy asked, buckling her seatbelt.

"Okay. Good."

"Where's Kayo?"

"Cooking dinner."

"Really? I thought we'd just go out for pizza or something."

"No, Kayo insisted we pick up some groceries and have a real meal," Arizona said, checking the mirrors before pulling out of the parking lot.

"Well I won't complain. What're we having?"

"Steak, baked potaoes, salad and pie for dessert."

"Sounds great. I'm all for staying in tonight."

"How'd your check-up with Kayo go?" Arizona asked as she drove.

"She told you about it?"

"No. Just made a face and grumbled."

Teddy chuckled at first, knowing how her friend communicated her displeasure, then her face grew serious. "Kayo's lucky to be alive."

"How so?" Arizona turned to Teddy as she stopped for a red light.

"She's had some serious wounds. I stopped counting the shrapnel scars at thirty."

"Where?"

"Her back and side are just covered with scars, some really small, some really big. She's also got two really long surgical scars." Teddy became pensive. "She lacerated her liver and almost lost a kidney. I'd say we need to tread lightly around her until I know she's okay."

"What do you mean?"

"Wounds like that and how she got them, I wouldn't be surprised to see some PTSD."

"She seems okay to me."

"Yeah, on the surface. I just don't suggest bringing up Iraq at all."

"I don't think that's going to happen. She's very closed-mouthed about that part of it. I wouldn't have even known she was injured except I saw the Purple Heart on her uniform."

"Well, steer clear of it all. If she wants to bring it up, that's one thing. I just wouldn't initiate any conversations about it."

Both women fell silent. Arizona immediately thought about Owen and his troubles, then she wondered about the friend seated beside her. She remembered Teddy hinting about her own experiences, but she'd never really talked about them.

"Say no more," Arizona said, patting Teddy's hand before returning it back to the steering wheel. "I grew up a Marine brat. I know what war can do."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A glass of red wine and a glass of white wine were sitting on the breakfast bar when Teddy and Arizona walked into the house. Kayo was standing at the counter, cutting up vegetables for the salad.

"Hi, honey, we're home." Teddy cracked, a wide teasing smile on her face. "What's for dinner?"

"Bite me, Theodora," Kayo said with a mock scowl on her face as she picked up her bottle of beer.

"Not me. You might like it."

Arizona laughed at her friends.

"How long before dinner is ready?" Arizona asked.

"Et tu, Brutus?" Kayo said, looking at the peds surgeon.

"No, seriously. I wanted to know if I had time to make a phone call."

"About forty-five minutes, maybe less."

"Super, then I've got time. I'm going to make the call now."

She refilled her wine glass, then rummaged through her purse until she found her phone and a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.

"I'll be out on the patio," she explained as she headed out the door.

Arizona brushed the leaves off the wooden chair and moved it under the eaves as it had started to drizzle. She took a long swallow of her wine and then took a deep breath. This was one phone call she was really dreading. _I'm going to be in so much trouble for not having called them sooner. I just know it_, she thought as she lit a cigarette.

She took a long drag on her cigarette and then pressed the speed dial for her parents.

"Barbara Robbins," her mother answered.

"Mom?"

"Arizona?"

"Mom, is Dad there?"

"Yes. Let me go get him."

She heard her mother set the phone down and call for her father. "Dan? Dan, pick up the extension. It's Arizona."

Arizona sipped from her wine while she waited. She knew her mother suspected something was wrong. It had been their arrangement while she was in Africa for her to call home every Sunday. Calling tonight, on a Friday, was a red flag.

"Arizona?"

"Mom, Dad."

"Is something wrong?"

"Not exactly." She exhaled the breath she'd been holding. "I'm in Seattle."

"What? Why? When did you get back?" her mother asked.

"Barbara, let the girl talk."

"I got back to Seattle two nights ago."

"Two nights ago and you're just calling us?" Barbara Robbins didn't hide her disappointment.

"Did something happen in Malawi, Arizona?" her father asked.

"No, not really." She took a deep breath. "I left Malawi."

"Why?"

"I… I missed Callie," she said in a small voice, folding her knees up against her chest.

"Oh, Arizona…" her mother sighed.

"I could've told you that was going to happen," her father said gruffly.

Arizona suddenly felt like she was twelve years old and had been caught smoking behind the garage.

"Have you seen her… Callie?" her mother prodded, her voice gentle.

"Yes."

"And?"

"She doesn't want anything to do with me,"

"Can you blame her?" her father asked, his voice still stern.

Her father had been hurt when she'd left for Africa without Callie. He had liked Callie; both of her parents had liked Callie. There were times when she'd come home from the hospital and Callie had been on the phone speaking with both of them. Arizona had almost, no she _had_ been a tiny bit jealous of Callie's easy relationship with her parents.

"Daniel, you're not helping."

"You left her in an airport, Arizona. Did you really expect her to be happy to see you?"

Leave it up to her Dad to always speak the blunt truth. He was never one to sugarcoat his feelings. It was more her mom's style to gracefully and artfully bring her around to the same conclusion.

"No, but I'm not giving up either. I'm here to stay." Arizona wished she felt as confident as her words. "I start back to work at Seattle Grace on Sunday."

"Where are you now?"

"I've settled in with Teddy for a little while. I'm negotiating with the people who sublet our apartment to get it back."

"Are you sure that's wise, honey?"

"I need to get my life back. I need to get Callie back."

"And what if you can't?" Barbara Robbins asked her daughter.

"Not an option," Arizona said.

"That's my girl," Colonel Daniel Robbins said with pride. "Do you have a plan?."

"No, sir, I don't. Not yet. But I will."

"Dan, she's not in the army."

"She needs a plan. Prior planning prevents poor performance."

"Arizona is not training for some athletic event, or battle."

Arizona listened to her parents bicker. The door creaked open and Arizona looked up to see Kayo. She nodded to Arizona as she carried the plate with the steaks.

"Excuse me, Arizona."

"Just a sec, Mom, Dad." She held the phone against her chest. "Did you need something, Kayo?"

"How do you want your steak cooked?"

"Medium, thanks."

Kayo tuned out the conversation Arizona was having with her parents. Once she had the steaks on the grill, she looked over at her friend and saw that she was shivering. She took off her coat and draped it over Arizona's shoulders. Arizona nodded her thanks and gave Kayo a grateful smile.

She saw Arizona fumbling to light another cigarette while juggling her phone and her wine. Kayo took the lighter and lit it for her.

"Thanks, Kayo," she whispered, then she returned to her conversation with her parents.

"Got one I can bum from you?" Kayo asked.

She pointed to the pack sitting beneath her chair. Kayo nodded and lit one for herself. Once she'd set the lighter down with the the pack, she walked back to the steaks. She stepped out from beneath the overhang and tilted her head up, letting the mist caress her face. It was the simple things that she'd missed in Iraq, and then later, Afghanistan.

Kayo finished her cigarette, tossing the butt into the coffee can underneath Arizona's chair. She tended to the steaks once again, cooking them to perfection.

"Dinner's ready, Arizona," she said softly as she plated the steaks.

Arizona nodded.

"Mom, Dad. Dinner's ready. I have to go."

"Call us?"

"Tomorrow, I promise. Love you."

"We love you, too," they chorused before ending the call.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"So how was the shopping?" Teddy asked as she cut into her steak.

"Fine," Kayo said tight-lipped.

"I think I would've had more co-operation from a five year old," Arizona complained.

A short laugh, almost a snort, came from Teddy. "Kayo wasn't any fun shopping?"

"Oh, please. She whined more than any adult should be allowed," Arizona continued.

"Hey. Just because I made some snide comment about underwear."

"Oh, do tell," Teddy said, refilling her glass of wine.

"Thongs," Arizona stated simply.

"Excuse me?" That was not the word Teddy expected to come out of Arizona's mouth.

"I'm sorry if I just don't get it," Kayo protested.

"Seriously?" Arizona eyes widened in disbelief.

"Why spend all that money for something women have spent years trying to stop," Kayo ranted.

"Come again?" Teddy asked, now confused.

"Underwear that rides up," Kayo tried to explain. "You know, butt flossing?"

Teddy and Arizona both giggled.

"Oh, please, don't tell me you wear them," Kayo said looking at Arizona, who didn't respond. She just lifted her wine glass and took a large sip. "Really? They have got to be the most impractical and uncomfortable thing to wear."

Already well into her third glass of wine, Arizona blushed. "Impractical? Maybe, maybe not. I guess it all depends on what you're trying to achieve. And it doesn't mean you have to be the one wearing it." Arizona picked up her glass again and smiled over the top of it. "There certainly are advantages to them, if you know what I mean."

Kayo's mouth dropped open, surprised at what Arizona was intimating. Teddy couldn't help but laugh.

"This has got to be the most bizarre dinner conversation I've ever had," the cardio surgeon said as shook her head. "But I have to admit, it's been worth it if only to see Kayo speechless."

"Oh, and Kayo," Arizona continued, "from what I've learned about you today…"

Kayo eyed the peds surgeon warily. "What?"

"Our friendship… doesn't give you the right to stare at my ass in order to figure out if I'm wearing one or not," she said saucily.

Arizona's comment caught Teddy in mid-drink, and the cardio surgeon spit out her wine as the laughter burst from her.

"Like I would…" Kayo sputtered.

"Please," Arizona rolled her eyes. "Walking down the hall with you is like walking with Mark Sloan. If you weren't checking out the boobs, you were checking out the asses. I'm not blind, Kayo."

"Busted," Teddy said, laughing even harder.

"Geez, Robbins, and to think I liked you," Kayo deadpanned.

"How can you not like me? I'm awesome." Even though Arizona's grin was somewhat lopsided due to the wine she'd been drinking, her dimples were still out in full force.

"This living together," Kayo said, pointing her steak knife at one blonde, and then the other, "is not going to work. I'm outnumbered. The blonde leading the blonde here. Nope, not fair, not gonna work."

Teddy reached across the table and ruffled Kayo's short hair. "Oh, we only tease you because we like you."

"Hmmmpf." Kayo picked up her beer. "You've got a funny way of showing it."


	7. Routines

Nothing Comes Easily by captstarbuckNothing Comes Easily by captstarbuck

**AN: This is, for the most part, Calzona, but Arizona-centric, with lots of other Grey's characters, especially Arizona's friendship with Teddy. It's slightly AU/Mostly Canon – Starts just before Arizona returns from Africa and varies a bit in the story of bringing them back together. Let's just say I bend the timeline and modify a few scenes to suit my own purposes.**

**AN2: I do not claim any medical knowledge… only what I glean from the internet. All medical mistakes are my own. **

**AN3: Thanks again to Stacy, my "because I'm right, and I'm awesome" beta reader.**

**Disclaimers – ****All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual. (****I don't own any of the characters from Grey's Anatomy. All of that belongs to Shondaland et al. I just wanted to take them out and play)**

Chapter Seven – Routines

For her first week back at Seattle Grace-Mercy West Hospital, Arizona had been saddled with what she privately (because she would never complain publicly) called the 'crappiest' shifts. She understood why Stark had done it; he was being petty and vindictive. She, herself, wouldn't have done it, but she completely understood it. He felt threatened by her, and had been angry with her for taking over his patient in the OR. Yup, she understood it, but she didn't have to like it and she certainly didn't like being treated like a first-year resident.

She supposed the late night shifts were a good way to ease herself back into the ebb and flow of the hospital routines, but it had also been boring. She'd only had a few emergency surgeries, two of them appendectomies. Filling out endless charts and covering post-ops was not what she wanted to do. She was itching to be back in the thick of it, to rock a big procedure.

The only thing that had made the boredom tolerable was that Kayo was working similar shifts. They'd found a way to meet for coffee at least once a night and had managed to have breakfast with Teddy three times. Arizona had started to look forward to meeting Kayo for coffee, either in the cafeteria, or in the attendings' lounge. They'd had a few long talks, mostly about medical school, residency and their families, though Kayo didn't talk much about her family. Sometimes Kayo would share a little about her experiences in Iraq, but she never, ever talked about being wounded.

It was one of those nights when the conversation had turned to Iraq that Arizona told Kayo about her brother. She hadn't shared the whole story with anyone before. She'd given Callie and Teddy bits and pieces over the years, but not all of it. Kayo was the one she unburdened herself to over the pain of losing her brother. Kayo had listened in silence and then given her a brief hug. Arizona still wasn't sure why she'd told Kayo, but she had. Kayo only had one question after Arizona had wiped her tears away – _Why didn't you ever tell Callie?_ She'd had no good answer to that.

The more she thought about it the more she realized it went to the root of her problems with Callie. She'd always found herself keeping a piece of herself, from not just Callie, but everyone else. She hid herself, wanting everyone to think she was a strong, confident woman. To admit to the pain and grief was letting people know she was weak and insecure. Kayo gently pointed out that it just made her human. Kayo also let her know that if she ever expected to get back with Callie, she was going to have to be "all in"… that she couldn't keep hiding herself. It wasn't fair to Callie or herself.

That talk of course led to more discussions about Callie. She and Kayo talked about Callie; they talked about Callie a lot. Actually she did the talking. Kayo did the listening. She found it easier to talk to Kayo about Callie than she did with almost anyone else. She supposed it was because Kayo didn't have any history with Callie. She didn't know Callie, didn't come into the conversation with any preconceived ideas.

It was during one of these conversations about Callie that it dawned on Arizona that aside from Teddy, Kayo was the only real friend she had. Kayo was the one friend she'd made outside the circle of 'their' friends. Kayo was "her" friend, and not "hers and Callie's".

Once again, it was three o'clock in the morning and Arizona was wandering the halls in search of her 'coffee buddy'. She'd already finished her charts and had made a quick check of all her sleeping patients. She rounded a corner and saw Kayo sitting on a gurney, legs drawn up, forearms resting on her knees, head back against the wall. Her surgical mask dangled from her neck and she was still wearing her navy blue scrub cap adorned with tiny pairs of red socks in deference to Kayo's obsession with the Boston Red Sox.

Arizona popped out her wheels and rolled over to the trauma surgeon. Kayo's head snapped forward at the sound of the heelies echoing down the empty hallway. The sight of her friend 'skating' down the hall never failed to make her grin. This time, however, all she could manage was a tired, half-hearted smile.

"Hey," Arizona said, her voice soft. When her greeting failed to elicit a response from her friend, she tried again. "Are you all right, Kayo?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay. Just a rough night."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

The blue eyes staring back at Kayo were earnest and full of concern.

"I lost my first patient," Kayo said with a heavy sigh.

"First?" Arizona was baffled and it showed on her face. "Surely you lost patients in Iraq." She hopped up onto the gurney next to Kayo.

"First here," Kayo explained. "Bled out on the table." She shook her head slowly. "College boy, too much alcohol, no seatbelt. Just made a fucking stupid decision that cost him his life." She sighed and unfolded her legs, letting them dangle beside Arizona's. "I'd forgotten how hard it is."

"What? Losing a patient?"

"Having to tell the family that their loved one didn't make it. I haven't done that in years… since residency."

"I won't tell you that it gets easy, but it does become easier."

Kayo rubbed her temples. "In Iraq… when we… when I… lost a patient…" Kayo's voice trailed off for a moment. "I never had to tell the family. The Army takes care of that. They take care of their own."

Arizona's face crinkled in pain, remembering how her parents had been told of her brother's death. "Yeah, I know all about that."

"Oh, shit, I'm sorry, Arizona," Kayo apologized. _Oh, fuck me. How could I have forgotten about her brother? I am so dense… so fucking selfish_. "I shouldn't have brought it up."

"No, it's okay," the blonde replied after a moment.

"I… it's not like I didn't care when I was there. We all did. If circumstances had been different, we would've told the family personally," she rambled, something that she rarely did.

"Kayo, it's okay," she repeated. She gave Kayo's thigh a pat. "Come with me," she said, hopping down from the gurney.

"Where are we going?" Kayo asked, following her.

"We need to get our coats first."

It was the quietest part of the night at the hospital and they didn't see anyone in the attendings' locker room. They grabbed their coats and headed down the hallway. Arizona pushed open the door to the stairwell and made her way up the stairs, Kayo close behind her.

She opened the door and they stepped out onto the helipad. Dawn was still a few hours away, so the sky above was still black. Before them were the lights of the Seattle skyline.

"This is where I come when I need time to regroup."

Hands tucked into pockets as the winter air was unseasonably cold this night, they stood together in companionable silence. Arizona's fingers found an unopened pack of cigarettes buried deep in her pocket that she'd stashed a few days earlier. She took the pack out and offered it to Kayo.

"This is also the only place you can smoke and not be hassled."

Kayo nodded her thanks as she tapped the pack four times and then opened it. She shook a cigarette from the pack and quickly lit it, inhaling deeply.

"You're looking pretty tired, Kayo," Arizona commented, still looking out over the lights of the city.

"I've been working a lot of hours," she said somewhat evasively.

Kayo didn't want anyone to know that she had problems sleeping. There were only two things that could induce the dreamless, nightmare-free sleep that she craved; sex and alcohol. The latter was off-limits while she was working. The former… well, she'd managed a few trysts. The first had been with one of the Peds nurses (and she hoped Arizona _never, ever_ found out about _that_ one) and the second had been with a radiologist. Neither, unfortunately, had provided her with more than a couple of hours of sleep afterward.

"You seem to be working hours you're not scheduled for. Teddy says you haven't been home once this week."

"I'm fine."

Arizona now knew Kayo well enough to know that she shouldn't press her further. 'Fine' meant drop the subject.

"So," the blonde said, keeping her voice light, "I'm getting my apartment back. The couple who've been subletting will be moving out this weekend. And let me tell you, it's costing me a pretty penny."

"Are you sure about doing it? You don't have to move."

"Teddy's place is too small for the three of us, even if you're never there," she gently chided Kayo.

"Don't let me be the reason you move."

"It's not. You're not. I need to do this. You know that. We talked about it."

"I know." Kayo still thought Arizona was making a mistake… moving too fast.

"Can I talk you into helping move next week?" Arizona asked, flashing a dimpled smile.

"Like I could say no to you," Kayo grinned.

"There's no saying 'no' to my awesomeness," Arizona replied, glad she'd been able to coax a smile from her friend.

"Just let me know when you need me."

The sound of beeping pagers suddenly filled the air. They both grabbed them and saw the "911 ER". Kayo tossed her cigarette down and ground it out with her shoe.

"Let's go."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Bullets?" Kayo asked as she and Arizona approached April Kepner.

"What?"

"Run the case, Doctor. Give me the bullet points."

"Uh… fifteen year old girl fell trying to climb in a second story window," she replied, handing the chart to Kayo. "She's got… she's got a fence sticking out of her."

"What?" Arizona said, looking over Kayo's shoulder at the chart.

"Where is she?"

"Exam room three. Dr. Yang's with her right now."

Kayo pushed the door open, Arizona at her heels.

"Dr. Yang?"

"Stable for now. We've pushed fluids and morphine. We're waiting on the scans."

The two attendings quickly made their way over to the patient. Arizona stifled the gasp that threatened to escape from her mouth when she saw a two long pieces of what looked like part of a picket fence protuding from the girl's stomach. The girl had been mercifully medicated into unconsciousness. Kayo started her exam of the patient, noticing that the girl's right foot was bent at a completely grotesque angle.

"Page Ortho."

"Just did."

"Call up for an OR now."

Karev came running up to them with all of the scans. Kayo took them and motioned for the other doctors to follow her. She quickly snapped the scans up onto the board.

"Dr. Dwyer, are you going to take lead on this?" Cristina asked.

"The patient falls under pediatrics," Alex replied, eager to get in on the surgery.

"It's more trauma than pediatrics," Cristina pointed out. "_Thoracic_ trauma."

"Then why haven't you paged Dr. Altman?" Alex challenged her.

"I've got more experience with penetrating wounds than the rest of you combined," Kayo said trying to quiet the competing residents.

"And how many children have you operated on recently?" Karev countered, clearly stepping over the line.

"Karev!" Arizona reprimanded him, her voice stern. "Enough."

"More than I wanted to, that's for damned sure," Kayo said coldly. "I didn't just operate on soldiers, Dr. Karev. I treated civilians, too… most of them children." She turned back to the scans. "You can go now. I want Yang and Robbins working with me. Maybe Ortho can use you."

"Wait… I'm out?" Alex turned to his mentor. "Dr. Robbins?"

"Yang's right. It is more trauma than anything else."

Cristina couldn't hide her glee at being right. "Told you, evil spawn," she said in a loud whisper.

"Fine," he grumbled, stomping out of the room.

"So, what's your plan?" Arizona asked, sitting down on the ledge, facing Kayo and Cristina.

"The pressure from the slats are keeping her from bleeding out. As soon as we take them out, there's going to be a lot of blood. We've got to open her up, get as much clamped off before we remove them." Kayo moved closer to the scans, Yang moving with her. "Spleen's going to have to come out. Looks like there's damage to her kidney, and possibly her lung. Stomach, too."

Neither Kayo nor Yang noticed when the door opened, but they both heard Arizona take a deep breath. Kayo looked over at her friend. Arizona's eyes widened, then immediately crinkled in pain. Kayo and Cristina both turned.

"You paged me?" Callie Torres asked as she strode into the room, coffee cup in hand. "Whattya got?"

"Right foot and ankle."

Arizona couldn't stop herself from reacting to the presence of the Ortho attending. She could feel her heart race and she knew she was staring. She found herself subconsciously leaning toward her, as if pulled by some unseen force. Even with all that had happened between them, Arizona couldn't, nor would she, deny the hold Callie had over her.

"So, Dr. Torres, can you save her foot or do we need to amputate?" Kayo asked.

"Amputate? You can't be seriously considering amputation," she scoffed.

"You got a better idea?"

The Latina stepped closer to the scans.

"Hmmm… if I put pins there and there… and graft there…" she said to herself. "Yeah, I can fix it," she said confidently. "She'll never be a ballerina, but it'll be functional."

"Good. Glad to know you live up to your reputation," Kayo said. "Do you want to wait or do you want to do it while we've got her under?"

It was only then that Callie realized there were scans up on the boards that had nothing to do with her specialty.

"What the hell is that?" she exclaimed, looking at the rest of the scans.

"She skewered herself like a shish-kabob on a picket fence when she fell trying to sneak in after curfew," Yang said.

"Why aren't you already in the OR now?"

"OR's getting prepped now. Who do you want assisting?" Kayo asked.

Callie leaned over to throw her now cold coffee into the trash. As she straightened up, her eyes locked on two very familiar blue eyes staring back at her. She hadn't seen Arizona. She'd been preoccupied with the scans.

"I… uh…" Callie froze, unable to take her eyes off of Arizona. "This is a peds case?" she croaked.

"Well, duh," Cristina said. "Teenagers generally are peds."

Kayo turned and faced Callie, her body protectively coming between Callie and Arizona. "Is there a problem, Dr. Torres?" Kayo said sharply.

"No, no, of course not," Callie said, her eyes growing darker with her discomfort and her anger. The last place she wanted to be was in an OR again with Arizona.

"So who do you want assisting?" Kayo repeated.

"Who's available?"

"Kepner and Karev."

"I'll take Kepner."

"Good. I think I've got something I need Karev for."

"Fine. I'm gonna get Kepner and get set up," Callie said as she opened the door, but not before she stole one more look at the blonde peds surgeon.

"We'll let you know when we're ready for you. And could you send in Karev?"

Seconds later, Karev burst back into the room.

"I'm back in?" he asked, breathless from running down the hall.

Kayo turned around, arms folded across her chest as she faced the residents. Arizona remained perched on the ledge, curious about what Kayo was going to say to them.

"I'm only going to say this once. I'm calling the shots on this one, understand? There will be no 'going rogue' in my OR. You won't do anything unless I tell you and you'll do it when I tell you." She looked Cristina, then Alex directly in the eye. "If you don't like it, can't do it my way, tell me now and I'll get someone else."

Cristina opened her mouth once, then quickly shut it. She nodded, as did Alex. Arizona had a feeling she was seeing 'Major' Dwyer, and not 'Doctor' Dwyer at that moment. Surprisingly, she found it intriguing. If she were to give it any serious thought, she would've realized that she had also found it to be borderline 'hot'. It reminded her of Callie when she decided to take control of her OR.

"We have a very small window to get the bleeding stopped before we can do any repairs," Kayo continued.

"Are you going to pull the slats out?" Karev asked.

"Not right away. Just pulling them out could do more harm than good. The wood's flimsy and could break. It's not smooth like metal so you also run the risk of tears and splinters."

"Then what will we do?"

"We're going to open up the wounds so we can slide them out."

Kayo quickly explained the rest of her plan to the other doctors, then they quickly headed to the OR.

Kayo waited until Yang and Karev were in the OR before spoke to Arizona. She noticed her friend seemed to be lingering over the sink as they scrubbed in for surgery.

"You okay, Arizona?" she asked.

"I'm good… I'm okay."

"You can scrub out if you want. I can find someone else."

"No, no… I've got this." She gave Kayo a small, sad smile. "I can't hide. It's bound to happen again. I've got to get used to it." She sighed. "Callie's just so… angry."

"Don't worry. I've got your back."

"Thanks."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Callie and April kept out of the way as the patient was brought into the OR. Kayo stepped up, Yang beside her. Arizona took her place across from her. Karev moved so that he was holding the pieces of wood in place.

"Everybody ready?" Kayo asked. "Ten blade," she ordered, her hand out.

It happened exactly as Kayo said it would. When the slats were loosened, Alex pulled the pieces of wood out and blood flooded the surgical field. Cristina and Arizona struggled to suction and soak up the blood. No one panicked and Yang couldn't help but be impressed with how fast Kayo's hands moved as she tied off or clamped bleeders.

Once the initial crisis was over, the tension eased and the four doctors set to work on repairing the damage. Callie and April could now begin the repair of the girl's foot and ankle.

"Hell of a price to pay for breaking curfew," Kayo said as she stitched. "Ever break curfew, Dr. Yang?"

"All the time, but I never got caught. And I wasn't stupid enough to try to climb through a second floor window."

"How about you, Dr. Karev?"

"I set the curfews in my house," he said curtly. He wasn't much for personal chit-chat and he saw no reason to engage in it now.

"How about you, Dr. Dwyer? Ever sneak in after curfew?" Arizona asked.

"No, I just came home in the morning. I really didn't have a curfew. Besides, to sneak in would've met climbing the fire escape of a triple decker."

Arizona, the two residents and the nurses looked at Kayo as if she'd spoken a foreign language. What they heard was 'climbin' the fiyah escape of a triple deckah'.

"Dude, what did you say?" Alex asked.

"Oh, you mean a _fire_ escape on a triple _decker_?" Arizona deciphered.

"That's what I said."

Arizona laughed behind her mask. "You need to tone down the Boston, _Doctah Dwyah_," she teased.

"Why should I when I've got you to translate?" Kayo fired back.

"Dr. Robbins? Did you ever have to sneak in to break curfew?" April asked, clueless to the Ortho attending's growing annoyance with the chatter.

"Oh, no, not me. Not with _The Colonel_ for a father."

Callie had found the whole conversation to be irritating, especially the banter that had been going on between Arizona and the new trauma surgeon.

"I'm sure Dr. Robbins never broke curfew," she said snidely. "She always does the right thing, don't you, Dr. Robbins?"

"Excuse me?" Arizona was shocked that Callie would speak to her, rather at her like that in an OR.

"Who asked you, anyhow?" Alex muttered, quick to defend his mentor.

"Can you finish up for me, Dr. Yang?" Kayo said, putting a halt to their non-surgical talking.

"Of course, Dr. Dwyer."

Kayo stepped back and moved to where Callie and April were working on the girl's leg. She stood behind April, arms folded across her chest.

"Is there a problem, Dr. Dwyer?" Callie asked, not looking up from her work.

"No, no problem."

"Good, because I really don't appreciate having you hover over my work."

"Didn't mean to hover," Kayo said, her voice cool. "I was just hoping to observe your techniques."

"Good for you," Callie said, her voice laden with sarcasm. "Pay close to attention to how we save a foot instead of amputate."

"I am. I'm always open for ways to improve my skills."

"I just bet you are," Callie mumbled.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kayo and Arizona stood at the sinks, beginning their own routines of scrubbing out.

"Your girlfriend…" Kayo started.

"She's not my girlfriend," Arizona said quickly. _She's not my girlfriend yet? Anymore? What is she?_ "She's not my girlfriend right now," she amended.

"Well, whatever she is, she's a bitch. I'd take her skills in my OR any day of the week, but the attitude, she needs to check it at the door."

The Ortho surgeon entered the room and Kayo moved closer to Arizona in an effort to make room at the sinks.

"Why time does your shift end?" Kayo asked Arizona.

She looked up at the clock. "An hour ago. You?"

"Seven hours ago."

Arizona turned to her friend and even though she didn't say anything, her face seemed to be scolding her.

"Don't look at me like that. I had that emergency surgery just before midnight and then I got paged for this one."

Callie pretended not to notice the two women beside her as she scrubbed out, her motions maybe a little bit more vigorous than usual.

"You want to grab breakfast before going home, Arizona?" Kayo suggested.

"Sure."

"How about you, Dr. Torres? Want to join us? I'm buying."

Callie found the easy familiarity between Arizona and the trauma surgeon upsetting, disturbing even. She felt angry and hurt.

"No. I have rounds," she said abruptly, turning away from the sink and pushing her way through the doorway.

Arizona turned to her friend. "What are you doing, Kayo?"

"What do you mean? I just asked her to breakfast with us. You two have got to start somewhere."

"Well, clearly it was a bad idea."

Callie stomped down the hall, her emotions rushing through her. She wanted to see Arizona and she didn't. One moment she wanted to take her in her arms and hold her, and the next minute she wanted to scream at her. And she certainly didn't like the way the trauma surgeon was always with her… with _her_ Arizona. A wave of nausea hit the Latina and she lurched off to the nearest bathroom. If just being around Arizona was going to make her sick, she thought hunched over a toilet, then her visit to Addison's couldn't come soon enough.


	8. I'm Done

Nothing Comes Easily by captstarbuckNothing Comes Easily by captstarbuck

**AN: This is, for the most part, Calzona, but Arizona-centric, with lots of other Grey's characters, especially Arizona's friendship with Teddy. It's slightly AU/Mostly Canon – Starts just before Arizona returns from Africa and varies a bit in the story of bringing them back together. Let's just say I bend the timeline and modify a few scenes to suit my own purposes.**

**AN2: Thanks again to Stacy, my beta reader who really earned it this chapter. Also a special thanks to ****pens_co927**** for the help in a difficult scene.**

**Disclaimers – ****All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual. (****I don't own any of the characters from Grey's Anatomy. All of that belongs to Shondaland et al. I just wanted to take them out and play)**

Chapter Eight – I'm Done

Addison Montgomery stood in doorway leading to the deck and Callie. She sighed to herself, not sure what she was going to say to her friend. Callie wasn't talking. Well, she was talking, but she wasn't talking about what was bothering her. _Not that she needs to say it_, Addison thought. _We both know it's all about a certain someone who's returned to Seattle_.

She'd let it slide the first night Callie was in LA. Her flight had been late and they'd both had a quick glass of wine before turning in. Addison had planned to talk to her the next day, but an early page calling Addison to the hospital for an early delivery had scrapped that plan. She wasn't sure what Callie had done the entire day, but she'd found her sitting on the deck reading a trashy romance novel and drinking diet soda. That had truly surprised her. She had expected Callie to be drowning herself in tequila, or at least a bottle of wine.

Her unease with Callie's behavior continued when they'd gone out for dinner with Addison's colleagues from Pacific Wellness. Callie had been polite, speaking with anyone who spoke to her. On the surface, she looked and acted like the Callie Addison had come to know and love, but Addison also knew that something was off. The few times that Callie smiled, it never reached her eyes. She had also picked at her food and had nursed a single glass of wine through the meal (and Callie always had two or three glasses of wine with her meal if she wasn't driving).

Addison braced herself and continued out to the deck. She pulled a chair closer to where her friend was and then sat down. She looked carefully at Callie as she poured them both a glass of wine from the bottle she'd brought with her. She hoped that a little wine would get Callie to open up and talk.

"So, Callie, are you going to tell me the real reason you're here?" she asked bluntly. "And don't tell me you came to escape the Seattle rain. You and I both know that there are plenty of other places you could have gone."

Callie turned her head and looked over the top of her sunglasses at Addison. Her expression was one of a polite, for Callie, "back off". Addison continued to look at Callie, not backing down. Realizing that Addison wasn't going to leave her alone, Callie set her paperback down with an audible huff.

"Can't I just want to see you, Addison?"

"Why now? Why didn't you come see me before?" The definition of 'before' was left unspoken.

Callie waited a few minutes before she said in a quiet voice, "she's back, Addison."

Callie didn't need to say who was back. Even if Mark hadn't called her earlier to tell her, Addison still would've known who Callie was talking about. The heavy sigh and her body language said it all.

"That's a good thing, isn't it, Callie? Isn't that what you wanted?"

"I don't know, Addison."

"Callie, you have been miserable since Arizona left."

"I know, I know." Callie's fingers absentmindedly twirled a strand of her now shorter hair. "And now that's she back, I'm still miserable."

"Have you talked to her?"

"Not really. It's not like she hasn't tried."

"Well, how do you feel about her?"

"I don't know what I feel." She picked up her glass of wine and sipped from it. "I'm just so mad. Every time I see her, I… I lose my temper," Callie confessed.

"Cal…"

"Addison, I don't know what to do," Callie said her voice bordering on a whine. "Tell me what I should do."

Addison reached across the small table between their deck chairs and squeezed her friend's hand.

"Do you still love her?"

"Of course I do, Addison. It wouldn't hurt so much if I didn't. I'm just so mad at her."

"What do you want to do?"

"I don't know. I want her… but I don't think I can be with her. I don't trust her." Callie's words were as conflicted as her feelings.

"Are you still at Mark's?"

"Yes."

"You need to move out. You're playing with fire, Callie." The Latina looked away, unable to meet Addison's eyes. Addison immediately knew what Callie's lack of response meant. "Oh, Callie, you didn't…"

"It was just the once. I was really drunk," she defended herself. "And I was missing Arizona so much."

"So much that you did the one thing that will hurt her more than anything, should she ever find out." Addison's voice was harsh. She needed her friend to understand the consequences of her actions. When Callie wanted to be irresponsible, she left a large wake of damages. This one had the potential for serious damage.

"It won't matter. We're not getting back together, no matter what I want."

"Is that what you want?"

"Yes," Callie admitted. "I do, Addison, but I don't know how to fix us." She looked down at her hands. "I think it's too late."

"Why would you say that? You still love her."

"I think Arizona's cheating on me."

"Callie, that is… that statement is just all kinds of wrong."

"What?"

"Listen to yourself. If you're not together, Arizona can't be cheating. Besides, she wouldn't give up her grant and fly back to you if she was… which she isn't."

"She's moved on, Addison."

"I think you're wrong about that, Callie."

"She is." The Latina was adamant.

"Why do you think that?"

"She's… she's always with that damned GI Jane, like all the time." Callie's temper flared.

"Who?"

"The new trauma surgeon."

"You have a new trauma surgeon?" Addison was surprised at that piece of news. Mark hadn't said anything about that when he called her after dropping Callie off at the airport.

"Yes. Some army doctor who served with Owen and Teddy. The chief offered her a job. She's living with Teddy… and Arizona."

"Do you really think there's something going on between them?"

"Yes… no… I don't know, Addison. I only know that they're always together and I don't like it."

"You're jealous." The redhead couldn't help but smirk.

"No, I'm not jealous."

"Callie…"

"I'm not, Addison. I'm just… hurt and angry. How can she be telling me that she loves me, that she missed me, when she's with someone else? How?" Callie's voice rose again.

"Well, it doesn't sound like you've been very welcoming to her, and I don't imagine the rest of the hospital has either. She's probably just glad to have a friend."

"I don't know anymore, Addison. I don't know what to think."

"Well, you need to get out of Mark's apartment. Like yesterday."

"Where will I go?"

"Stay at the Archfield until you can find a place to live. Aren't you subletting your old place? Why don't you contact them and get your apartment back? You'd still have Mark nearby if you really needed him." Addison cringed inwardly at her own words. "You know what I mean… there as a friend."

"I suppose I could."

"No, Callie. Just do it. The day after you get home, you call them and see about it."

"Okay, okay."

"And then you need to sit down and talk to Arizona. You need to tell her how you feel."

"I already have."

"You need to talk to her calmly. No yelling."

Callie picked up her wine glass, nodding in agreement.

"You ready for a refill?" Addison asked, lifting the bottle.

"Sure," Callie replied, setting her glass back down.

"I'm surprised, Cal."

"With what?"

"You're not drinking."

Callie rolled her eyes and lifted her glass as if to say 'What do you call this?'.

"Not drinking like I expected you to."

"I'm cutting back. Drinking and I… just… I've been making stupid decisions." _Sleeping with Mark was a really bad one. Addison is right. If Arizona ever finds out… that one could be true relationship killer._

A thought struck Addison. _She's cut back on her drinking_. Other observations began to all into place. _Callie's appetite is off, she's moody, she's not drinking much… Oh, God. Is Callie pregnant?_ Addison looked over at her friend, then just a quickly looked away. _Don't be silly. They only did it once...then again that's all it takes. _The redhead reconsidered._ No, she couldn't be. Mark always wears a condom. He's almost fanatical about protection. Then again, he knocked ME up even using protection_. Addison lifted her glass for another sip of wine. _No. She's not pregnant. You're imagining everyone around you is pregnant because of your womb envy. Still…_

"Callie, can I ask you something?"

"What?"

"Are you pregnant?"

A look of shock and horror crossed Callie's face. "What? No. Of course not. Mark used a condom." She took a large gulp of her wine. "Why would you say that?"

"Just wondering. As a doctor, I can't help but notice some… some symptoms."

"Well, I'm not, Addison. God… what are you thinking? Absolutely not."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Arizona looked up at the surgical board. For the third day, Callie had no scheduled surgeries and she hadn't seen her at all around the hospital.

"She's gone," said a familiar voice.

Arizona felt her chest tighten. "What do you mean she's gone, Mark? Gone as in _gone_, gone?"

Mark looked down at the smaller woman. He could see pain in her face; the panic just below the surface. Maybe he had chosen the wrong words he thought, after seeing her reaction, but maybe it would also spur her into taking some action. Callie and Arizona needed each other, belonged together, and the two of them needed to do something about it.

"Gone as in taking some time off," he explained. He didn't bother to tell her that Callie was returning later in the evening.

"Oh thank God," she murmured to herself. Her relief was palpable.

"Why did you come back, Blondie?"

"Is it really any of your business, Mark?" she fired back, her tone brusque.

He stared at her, waiting her out.

The last person she wanted to be talking to was Mark. While working nights her first week back had made it almost impossible to even see Callie (with the exception of that one surgery), it had also made it possible for her not to have to deal with him.

"Fine," she said, biting back her irritation at Mark. "I missed her. I was miserable without her," she admitted. "I made a mistake. I never should've left her." She turned and faced him. "Is that what you wanted to hear, Mark?"

"You didn't have to say anything, Robbins. You would never have left Africa if you hadn't missed her."

Her eyes widened in surprised at his reply. Maybe he wasn't going to be the roadblock that she thought he was going to be.

"But you need to know that she was devastated that you left her." His eyes narrowed, his sympathetic moment gone. "And she's not the only one that's pissed at you for leaving her in an airport." He looked down at her, anger flashing in his eyes. "And just returning doesn't make it magically all better."

With that comment, he turned and walked away.

Arizona let out a big sigh. Trying to get back with Callie, even just trying to talk to her, was getting to be even harder than she ever thought it would be. She was beginning to have her doubts that she could do it.

"Everything okay, Arizona?" Teddy asked, joining her friend.

"Yes," she said quickly, forcing a smile on her face.

"Sloan giving you a hard time?" Teddy looked down the hall at the departing Plastics surgeon.

"No, not really. Just Mark being Mark." Arizona hooked her arm through Teddy's. "Are you still on for tomorrow morning?"

"Yes. Kayo and I will both be there at oh-seven-hundred, ready to be your designated pack mules."

"Super. I really, really owe you, Teddy."

"It's nothing."

"No, really. You gave me a place to stay, you're helping me move, supported me." Arizona squeezed her friend's arm. "I don't know how I can ever repay you."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Teddy called on her past Army skills and drove the rental truck, Kayo seated beside her. It hadn't taken them long to load it, but unloading was turning out to be a real bitch in Teddy's opinion. Thank goodness they had the elevator and hadn't had to carry anything up the five flights of stairs.

"Tell me again, Kayo, how I got roped into helping you move all the heavy stuff?" Teddy asked as they maneuvered the sofa through the doorway.

"Because I asked you."

"And how did you end up volunteering us?"

"It's those damned dimples," Kayo grumbled. "Arizona bats those pretty blue eyes and flashes those dimples and I can't say no."

"You're so whipped," she said, dropping her end of the sofa.

"No, I'm not. I'd do the same for any friend."

Kayo set her end down and the two women flopped down on the sofa.

"Yeah, you are, Dwyer. You just admitted it to being a sucker for the power of the dimples," Teddy teased.

"Maybe, but you know I always have trouble saying no to a pretty woman."

"Ain't that the truth," Teddy laughed.

"Can't say I ever had a woman use her feminine wiles to get me to move her furniture."

"You just didn't have the opportunity in Iraq." Teddy wiped the sweat of her forehead with her sleeve. "Well, there had better be beer later. Lots and lots of beer. You might work for free, but I don't."

"Already getting cold as we speak." Kayo looked at her watch. "Though ten o'clock in the morning might be a bit too early to be cracking one open."

Teddy paused for a minute, wanting to take a moment to speak to her friend. "So, with Arizona moving out, does that mean you're now going to start coming home?"

"Huh?"

"Kayo, you've been here, what, two weeks? You've only come home three, maybe four times. You've been living at the hospital."

"I've been working some doubles, and it didn't make any sense to come home for a few hours."

"You've been working more than you've been scheduled. You can't keep doing that. It's not good for you or the patients."

"Bear, I can't… I just don't know how to turn it off. You know what it's like. In Iraq, we were always on call. Always." Kayo looked at her hands. "I was there before you got there and I was there after you left. It's ingrained in me. I don't know how to shut it off."

"I know, Kayo, I know," she said, nodding.

"The only downtime I had was when I was in the hospital."

"And that's not really downtime," Teddy said understandingly.

They stopped talking when they heard Arizona speaking to someone in the hallway. Kayo and Teddy looked at one another, wondering who their friend could be speaking to. The voices seemed calm enough, then they heard Callie's voice.

For Callie, seeing Arizona taking boxes into what was once their apartment was the last straw. Her own careful plans to leave Mark's and return to the apartment across the hall had been thwarted. _How dare she? How dare she move back in? How dare she do it without asking her first?_ Everything she'd discussed with Addison was forgotten.

She took a step closer to Arizona.

"My lack of interest in seeing you is not a strategy. I'm not, uh, I'm not playing hard to get. I don't want to see you because I turned my life upside down for you… and you walked away because for a week I was cranky."

Hearing Callie's words and the tone of voice she was using made Teddy embarrassed for her friend. Kayo was instantly angry, and she started to get up from the sofa. Teddy grabbed Kayo's arm to stop her.

"Don't, Kayo. It's not your fight. Stay out of it. You'll only make it worse."

Kayo seethed, but obeyed her friend. They remained sitting in silence, listening to Callie continue her ranting.

"You're untrustworthy, so I don't want to see you. You're self-centered, so I don't want to see you. I am one hundred percent certain that if I let you back into my life again you will hurt me again. So I don't want to see you. This isn't a ploy. I'm not… I'm not pouting. I don't want you in my life. Get your crap out of my apartment."

Silence followed. Teddy got up from the sofa and pulled Kayo to her feet. "C'mon. Arizona doesn't need to know we heard that."

The Cardio surgeon quickly disappeared into the spare bedroom, tugging Kayo behind her. Kayo paced back and forth, trying to keep her anger in check.

"How dare she speak to Arizona that way? What the hell, Bear?"

"It's complicated, Kayo. Let it go."

"I... I so want to give that woman a piece of mind. I've never wanted to hit a woman before, Bear, but I'm sorely tempted to slap her across that smart mouth of hers."

"It'll just make it worse. Let Arizona handle it."

"Handle what?" Arizona said, popping into the room. She'd taken a moment to herself in the hallway before she'd returned to the apartment. She'd heard her friends talking and had followed the voices.

"Where you want to set up the rest of the furniture," Teddy lied, covering up for Kayo.

"Oh, I'm not sure," Arizona said, looking around the room. "I can't decide if I want to set it up like it used to be or not."

"Well, just tell us where you want everything."

Arizona thought it was odd that Teddy was doing all the talking. She wondered if the two women were bickering again. Kayo looked like she was angry, but Arizona couldn't imagine at what.

"Everything okay?" she asked, concerned.

"Fine," Kayo said, her voice short. "I'm going to bring up some more boxes."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Miranda Bailey knew she was short, and Lord knew she worked with a lot of tall doctors. Because of her lack of height, she also knew that people tended not to see her. And when she was seated behind the counter, she became even more invisible. This was one of reasons why she knew more about what was going on in the hospital then almost anyone else. She overheard conversations that probably weren't meant for her ears, conversations she really hadn't wanted to hear either. Over the years, she'd learned to filter out what she had no interest in, but more often than not, she filed it away. What better way to track the pulse of the hospital and keep her eye on residents and interns?

One afternoon, she sat behind the counter to do her post-op charting, unnoticed once again. She glanced up once to see Teddy Altman staring down the hallway. She then heard the unmistakable sounds of wheels rolling over to the station. She kept her smile to herself. There was no way that she wanted anyone to know that she found the peds attending's heelies amusing. She kept her head down and pretended not to hear the two doctors talking.

"Hey, Teddy," Arizona greeted her friend as she came to a stop.

"Arizona."

"What's up? What are you staring it?"

"Oh, 'Marcia' Sloan is at it again," she sighed, a touch of disgust in her voice.

"Mark? I thought he was behaving himself now. Isn't he trying to get back with Lexie?"

"Not _Mark_ Sloan. _Marcia_ Sloan." Teddy saw the confusion on Arizona's face. "Kayo."

"You call her _Marcia Sloan_? Ewww. That's not a very nice nickname."

"Well if the nurse fits…" Teddy said, shrugging her shoulders, a smile starting to appear.

"I can't believe you said that," Arizona said, playfully slapping her friend's arm.

Teddy's smile became mischievous. "Give me your pager."

"Why?" Arizona asked, handing her pager over.

Teddy quickly typed in a number, then handed the pager back to Arizona. "Now we wait."

"For what?"

"See that supply closet?" Arizona nodded. "Watch it," Teddy suggested as she leaned back against the counter, a smirk on her face.

A few minutes later a nurse stepped out the closet, a somewhat dazed look on her face. She straightened up her clothes and ran a hand through her hair. She tried, and failed, to be nonchalant as she scurried off down the hallway.

Arizona turned to Teddy, one eyebrow raised.

"Just wait," Teddy counseled.

Moments later, Kayo marched out of the room. She was still putting her lab coat back on and a look of irritation crossed her face.

"That's just mean, Teddy," Arizona said, trying to hold back her giggles.

"And another nurse gets KO'd," Teddy snickered.

Kayo spotted Arizona and Teddy together and she stomped over to them.

"Goddamnit, Bear! That's the third time this week. Knock it off."

Arizona burst out laughing and Teddy joined her. Neither of them heard Miranda Bailey chuckling to herself behind the counter, nor did they see the Latina Ortho surgeon down the hall.

For the entire day, Callie had been rehearsing in her head her apology to Arizona. She'd finally realized that whatever the outcome with Arizona, they needed to talk. And in order to talk, she first had to apologize for being so rude. She couldn't understand how she kept losing her temper when she saw Arizona. She had every good intention to be calm and cool when she spoke to her, but something or _someone_ always seem to set her off.

She finally worked up the courage to talk to Arizona so when she saw her standing at the nurses station, she started down the hall toward her. She spotted the three women standing together laughing and she hesitated.

"So, Saturday night?" Arizona asked her friends when she and Teddy had stopped laughing.

"Saturday night for what?"

"I'm fixing the two of you dinner for helping me move."

"Oh, no, not me," Teddy said her voice both teasing and knowing. "And if you know what's good for you Kayo, you'll decline as well."

"What? Why would you turn me down?" Arizona was shocked, and a little offended by Teddy's comments.

"Arizona cooking? I know better," Teddy grinned.

"Arizona can't cook?" Kayo asked.

"Arizona in the kitchen is just adding to the GDP." Teddy noted the baffled look on both their faces. "Arizona's cooking is _Gross Domestic Product_, emphasis on the gross."

Kayo laughed and Arizona looked hurt.

Teddy gave Arizona an apologetic look. "Sorry, Arizona, but it's true."

"Gee, I try to do something nice and all you can do is insult me," the Peds surgeon responded with a fake pout.

"Pizza and beer… I'm there," Teddy suggested.

"Fine. Pizza and beer. Seven o'clock?"

"Seven o'clock it is."

"It's a date," Kayo said, setting her hand briefly on Arizona's arm for a moment. "Maybe you can cook for me another time. I managed to survice on Army food all these years. Your cooking can't be worse than that."

"Don't be too sure about that, Kayo," Teddy warned with a grin.

The three friends stopped talking when they noticed Callie at the station, taking out a chart. Teddy sensed that Callie was there for Arizona, not a patient's chart. She surreptitiously tugged on Kayo's sleeve, drawing her away from Arizona.

"Dr. Dwyer, I'd like to speak to you about a patient," she lied.

"What? Which one?" Kayo at first seemed clueless, but one glance at the look in Teddy's eyes and Kayo quickly caught on to what she was doing. "Oh, right, of course, Dr. Altman."

What neither of them saw was the rapidly building anger in the Latina. Callie once again was irritated by the presence of the trauma surgeon. When she'd seen tall woman place a hand on Arizona's arm she thought she was going to blow a gasket. It was clear to her now that Arizona had moved on. She hadn't really come back for her after all.

"Calliope," Arizona said warmly, stepping closer to Callie.

The Latina doctor spun around. "No, you don't get to 'Calliope' me. Not anymore."

"Callie…" she tried again.

"Doctor Torres. My name is Doctor Torres," she spat.

Arizona recoiled, almost as if she'd been slapped by the words. She'd seen Callie irritated before, seen her angry before, but never had she'd seen her like this. She sounded… hateful.

"Callie, why won't you – "

"Dr. Robbins, since you won't go back to Malawi, would you just get out of my face and get out of _my_ apartment?" With every word, Callie's voice became louder.

Arizona had finally reached her breaking point. She was finally tired of bowing to every moody outburst from her former girlfriend. The snide comments in the OR, the rolling of the eyes whenever they were near each other, the angry words, it was all too much. She'd had it.

"You know what, _Doctor Torres_, I'm done," she snapped. The enormity of her own words hit her and Arizona took a step back. "I'm done," she repeated in a quiet voice.

She turned and walked away, almost staggering in her first few steps down the hall. The anguish on her face was heartbreaking to both Kayo and Teddy.

Kayo turned to follow her, but she was stopped by Teddy's firm grasp on her forearm.

"Give her some space, Kayo," she said in a very quiet voice that only Kayo could hear.

Kayo made a decision. If she couldn't comfort Arizona, couldn't support her, then she was going to go on the offensive. She slowly walked the few steps over toward the dark haired woman, giving her an obvious once-over with her eyes. There was no mistaking what she was doing and Callie became uncomfortable with the scrutiny.

Kayo stopped, barely two feet from Callie.

"I get the physical attraction. I do," she said, her calm voice belying the anger brewing. "I understand why Arizona keeps coming back for more. But the way you talk to her, I also understand completely why she dumped your ass in an airport."

"So says the woman who's banging my girlfriend," Callie hissed.

"I'm not sleeping with Arizona. She's my friend." Kayo took another step closer. "And even if I was, it'd be none of your business. You see, she's not your girlfriend. And after the way you've been treating her, I have my doubts she ever will be again."

"What? How dare you…"

Kayo cut off Callie's protest. "I'm only going to say this once, Doctor Torres," Kayo's voice was low and almost menacing. "And it's only because my friend, and God only knows why, is still madly in love with you. Get your head out of your ass or you're going to lose her for good."

Kayo glared at Callie for a moment, then pushed past her.

Teddy had watched the exchange between the two doctors with her mouth hanging open. She thought about going after Kayo, then she considered going after Arizona. Neither option appealed to her right then. Instead, she looked directly at Callie. She and Callie had never really been friends. They were friendly, but Arizona was her friend, not Callie.

The dark-haired Ortho surgeon had been stunned into silence. She no longer looked angry. She looked scared; not scared of Kayo, but scared that she'd finally gone too far.

"She's right," Teddy said. "Arizona loves you. But I have to agree with Kayo. I don't know why she would anymore. You've treated her like crap since she's returned. If you still have any feelings for her, you'd better talk to her soon while you still have a chance." Before she walked away, she turned to Callie one more time. "And for the record, Kayo is not sleeping with Arizona. She's been a good friend to her, nothing more."

With that, Teddy turned and walked off in the opposite direction.

Callie put her elbows on the counter and put her head in her hands. How could it have gone so wrong so fast? She'd had every intention of apologizing to Arizona. She wanted to just talk to her, tell her that she still loved her. Arizona's last words "I'm done" kept echoing in her head.

From behind the counter, Miranda Bailey quietly filed away what she'd heard.


	9. Trust

**Nothing Comes Easily by captstarbuck**

**An old friend and a new friend helps Arizona. **

**AN: This is, for the most part, Calzona, but Arizona-centric, with lots of other Grey's characters. It's slightly AU/Mostly Canon. This starts just before Arizona returns from Africa and varies a bit in the story of bringing them back together. Let's just say I bend the timeline and modify a few scenes to suit my own purposes.**

**AN: A big thanks to my betareader, Stacy, who really had to grit her teeth through this one. Also a special thanks to pens_co927 for an awesome suggestion.**

**Disclaimers – All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual. (I don't own any of the characters from Grey's Anatomy. All of that belongs to Shondaland et al. I just wanted to take them out and play)**

Chapter Nine – Trust

As soon as she rounded the corner away from her colleagues, Arizona broke into trot until she reached the stairwell. She sprinted up the stairs to the helipad. She was relieved to see that she was alone, that no one else had decided to use her private getaway. The blonde immediately began to pace, her breaths soon coming in gasps. It seemed as if a million thoughts were ricocheting through her brain and she couldn't stop them.

_Oh God. I said it. I actually said that I'm done. Am I? Am I really done? I know that I can't take any more from Calliope. I love her… I want to be with her… but I can't take it. I'm not going to put up with her behavior and anger anymore. I'm not going to try anymore. She knows I love her. I've told her. I've told her how sorry I am. It's up to her now. But what if she doesn't? What if she's really done with us, with me? What if I've ended us? Did I overreact?_

She stopped pacing and leaned back against the wall, her quick breaths leading her to nearly hyperventilate. She bent over, hands on her knees, trying desperately to catch her breath. She heard the door open, then footsteps. She felt a coat draped over her back, then a large hand began to rub big, gentle circles across her back.

"Deep breaths, nice and easy," Kayo said soothingly.

"I… I can't… " Arizona gulped for air.

"No talking, just breathe, okay?"

Gradually Arizona's breathing became more regular and the feeling of panic left her. She slowly straightened her body back up.

"You okay, Arizona?" Kayo asked.

"I think so."

"You want to talk about it?"

"I don't know… I don't think so." She felt the tears in her eyes. "I just… it's hard to admit it, that I'm done."

"You're not, Arizona. Not by a long shot," Kayo said confidently.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because you still love her." Kayo saw the tears filling Arizona's eyes and knew she was right. "C'mere," she said, pulling the blonde into her arms and hugging her. "Don't give up. Not yet."

"I don't want to, Kayo, but I don't know how much more I can take."

Arizona pressed her face into Kayo's chest, her arms around her waist. She felt Kayo's arms tighten around her and pull her in closer. It dawned on Arizona that this wasn't just a hug; she was being _held_. It had been months since she'd been held. _I haven't had anyone hold me since Callie, and that was before I left for Africa_. She sighed inwardly and nestled her body in closer. _It just feels so good to not feel alone, to feel safe_.

For Kayo it was near torture. She hadn't meant it to be anything other than a hug, just offering her comfort. She'd hugged Arizona plenty of times, but this time, it felt different. Arizona initial action had been one of almost clinging desperation, of sadness, of utter anguish. But somewhere along the line, the hug had deepened, and the desperation had disappeared_. I've got to get some distance between us. It would be too easy to cross the line with her. That would just be the wrong thing for both of us._

"You good?" Kayo asked, leaning back from her friend.

"Yeah, I think so," she answered, lifting a hand to wipe her tear-stained cheeks. She looked at her watch. "I've got surgery in thirty minutes."

"You okay to operate?" There was no mistaking the concern in Kayo's voice.

"Yeah, I'm good, I'm good." She stepped back from Kayo's embrace. "Thank you."

"Any time. All you gotta do is ask, Arizona. You know Teddy and I… we've got your back. We'll support you in whatever you decide. You know that, right?"

"I do, I do."

"Okay, then. You better go. Time for you to kick ass in surgery."

Arizona gave Kayo a small smile as she patted her arm. "I'll see you later?"

"Count on it."

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Mark Sloan carefully opened the door to the on-call room. Callie sending him a text to have him meet her there both surprised and confused him. She'd made it all too clear to him that one morning in the shower that any more sex was permanently off the table for them. He couldn't believe she'd changed her mind. Callie wasn't vindictive enough to want to have sex with him just to get back at Arizona, was she? He knew he couldn't do that. They both knew that their one night of weakness had been a mistake… for both of them.

"You wanted me, Cal? 'cause I really don't think it's a good idea. Not with blondie back, and it's been going great so far with me and Lexie and –"

"God, Mark… do you always have to go there?" Callie cut him off. "That's _not_ why I sent you the text."

"Then why did you?" It was then that the Plastic surgeon noticed her wet cheeks and red-rimmed eyes. "What's wrong?"

"It's over, Mark. It's really over," she said, her tears starting up once again.

"What's wrong?" he repeated, sitting down beside her. "What happened?"

"Arizona," Callie choked. "She's… she's… we're over…"

"Don't you kinda have to _be_ together first for it to be over?"

"Mark…" _He's arguing semantics now? Really? Why can't he just listen? Can't he see I'm in pain?_

He put his arm around his best friend. "Tell me what happened. Is she leaving again?"

"No. I… it's my fault, Mark."

"Why do you think it's over?"

"Because her last words to me were 'I'm done'. And I pushed her there," she sobbed.

"Wait, how? I thought you were going to apologize and talk to her?"

"I was, I was."

"Torres, what did you do?"

"I… I lost my temper again, Mark," she confessed. "I didn't mean to. I was going to apologize to her and ask her to dinner."

"And why didn't you?"

"She was with that frickin' Dwyer again, like always." Callie's anger flared up briefly, then quickly died down. "And I… I got pissed off again."

"Geez, Cal, what is the matter with you? Even I think you're treating her too harshly."

"I don't know, Mark. I just want her back. I want a chance with her. I don't want to lose her again."

"Callie, do you really want her back, or are you just jealous?"

"I still love her, Mark… and I think I've finally lost her for good."

"Then stop punishing her. Just talk to her."

"I think it's too late."

Mark held her as she quietly wept. He knew it wasn't the right time to remind her she'd been treating Arizona badly. As angry as he had been at the blonde for leaving Callie, she _had_ come back. If she was leaving again, or was "done" as Callie had said, this time it was all on Callie.

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For her first surgery after her blowup with Callie, Arizona found Lexie scrubbing in with her for a simple appendectomy. She liked Lexie, even if she thought the young resident had appallingly bad taste in men. _Mark and Karev?_ Arizona shook her head in disappointment.

As she stood at the sinks beside Lexie, Arizona wasn't so sure she wanted to be operating with the younger woman. Clearly the hospital's gossip about her and Callie had reached Lexie, if the look of pity in her eyes was any indication. She could also see the brunette struggling with keeping quiet, like there was something she wanted to say just sitting on the tip of her tongue.

Arizona knew what she needed to do to keep the focus on the operation. The last thing she wanted to do was spend time in the OR with Lexie looking at her like she felt sorry for her, or giving her those sympathetic eyes. Even worse would be her talking to her about Callie.

"Dr. Grey, how would you like to be lead on this appy?"

"Really? You'll let me do it?"

"Feel up to it?"

"Absolutely!"

"Super! I'll assist you."

"Wow, thank you, Dr. Robbins."

Arizona congratulated herself on finding a simple solution. Lexie would be too involved in the surgery to even think about saying anything about Callie, and the look of pity had been replaced with one of gratitude and excitement.

After the appendectomy, the Peds surgeon's day became a little more intense with back-to-back surgeries. She had Karev scrub in with her for both. She could count on him to keep his mouth shut before, during and after surgery. Karev was all about the surgery and if he had heard the gossip, it wasn't anything he'd bring up in the OR. Even when they'd taken a short break between operations for a cup of coffee and shared a bag of chips, Karev hadn't said much of anything. Arizona found herself grateful that Karev was somewhat lacking in his conversational skills.

The last surgery had taken a little longer than Arizona had planned. It had been tense for a few minutes when the six year old girl had started to crash, but she and Alex were a good team. There had been no need to call in reinforcements. The blonde woman had quickly located the problem and repaired it with lightening speed.

"Nice work, Karev," she complimented him as they scrubbed out.

He grunted his thanks, but a small smile crossed his face before quickly fading.

"If you want, I'll check my schedule to see if there's anything tomorrow that you might be interested in scrubbing in on," she offered.

"Seriously?"

"I don't want to swell that already big ego of yours, Karev, but you do nice work when you're on my service."

"Thanks," he blurted. "I'd really like that."

"I guess you haven't had much opportunity to work with the Peds' cases while I was gone."

"You have no idea," he said with an eye roll. "Stark…"

"Say no more," she said, ending the talk. No need for them both to dig themselves in deeper shit with Stark. "Come find me tomorrow."

"I will."

The resident left and Arizona took a moment for herself. She'd rocked that surgery. Anyone watching would have been impressed. She knew she was an excellent surgeon. That wasn't conceit, that was fact. But after an operation like that, where she'd been a 'rockstar', it always left her a little tense and in need of a release. It had been the first time since she'd left for Africa that Arizona had felt that way. In the past, when either she or Callie had rocked a surgery, they would seek each other out for some hot and fast sex in an on-call room.

"Crap," Arizona said out loud.

_Don't even go there_, she told herself. _The past is the past. Dirty, quick hookups with Callie in an on-call room are not happening. Not now and not anytime in the future, if ever_. She looked up at the clock. _I can still catch the tail-end of happy hour at Joe's_, she thought as she exited the room. _I'll text Teddy and Kayo to see if they want to go out tonight_.

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Arizona spotted the empty stool next to Kayo and sat down. "Hey," she said in greeting.

Kayo nodded, sipping from her glass. "Where's Teddy?"

"Called back into surgery," she answered, dropping her coat and purse onto another empty stool.

"White wine, Dr. Robbins?" Joe asked.

"Not tonight, Joe."

"Gin and tonic?" he guessed.

"No, I'll have what my friend is having," she ordered with a tilt of her head toward Kayo.

"Are you sure about that?" he asked, setting a glass on the bar.

"Yes, and keep 'em coming."

Kayo turned on and looked at her friend.

"Since when do you drink vodka?" she asked curiously.

"Since tonight." She downed the shot, gasping as she made a face. "How do you drink this stuff?" she coughed.

"Practice," Kayo said with a smile. She didn't need to ask if her friend was still upset about her latest confrontation with Callie. The fact that she was sitting beside her on a barstool drinking vodka said it all.

"You know something, Kayo? I'm tired. I'm tired of trying." Arizona signaled to Joe for another drink. "Tonight, I'm not trying anymore," she announced. "I want to get drunk and have a Calliope Torres-free night." She downed the next shot and it didn't go down any easier than the first one. "Can I trust you, Kayo?" she asked after she caught her breath.

"Sure."

"Can I trust you to keep me out of trouble tonight? Can I trust you to make sure I get drunk and not do something stupid?"

"If that's what you really want to do, yeah, I can do that."

"I do. I really do."

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When Arizona Robbins drank to excess, she had three levels of intoxication. Most of her friends were aware of the first level, which was where she currently was at. She was at a point where she was both easily distracted and then just as easily fascinated by the oddest things. This Arizona was the source of much amusement to her friends. Many a night Arizona had gone into discourse on a wide range of topics, some of which she knew nothing about. She was also prone to jump from topic to topic with no seeming coherency in her thoughts. Her friends tolerated it and had learned not to try and make sense of her infamous ramblings.

It had taken Kayo about half an hour or so to finally figure out that there was no logic to Arizona's tipsy verbosity. She quietly sipped her drink and listened with half an ear.

"Unbelievable," Arizona said.

Kayo realized that Arizona had changed the subject again. The last thing she remembered Arizona talking about was crabs… or was it salmon? She couldn't be sure. It was something to do with seafood or the ocean.

"What is?" Kayo asked, noticing Arizona staring at the TV hanging behind the bar.

"Since we've been sitting here that's gotta be like the tenth commercial for erectile dysfunction," she fumed, her face squinching up in disgust. "I mean, really. You'd think there was an epidemic or something." Arizona finished off her drink. "I'm smart. I keep up with all the medical journals and reports from the CDC. Have I missed something? You'd think the entire male population in the US was suffering from… from limp dicks."

Kayo nearly spat her drink out. "What did you just say?" she asked her friend.

"Of all the things that drug companies promote and research," Arizona continued as if she hadn't heard Kayo. "God! Drugs so men can have an erection? That's the best they can do? What about a cure for Parkinson's disease? Or CF? I can come up with at least a hundred diseases that are more deserving of their attention."

_Oh, good Lord, please don't start listing them now_, Kayo thought. _We'll be here all night_.

"Drugs that give a guy a hard-on. That's the best they can do?" She waved at Joe for another drink. "And the side-effects? Have you seen the list of the side-effects? Erections lasting four hours? May cause sudden loss of vision," she said, mimicking the voice-over on the ad. "Just say it. May cause BLINDNESS!" Arizona turned to Kayo. "Which one is the one that can cause blindness? Cialis?"

"See Alice? Not anymore, but you can hear her coming," Kayo quipped with a straight face.

Arizona stopped her rant and looked intently at Kayo. Her mouth was slightly open and her eyes narrowed in concentration. She sat for just a moment, then she got the joke, her laughter erupting with a snort. She smacked Kayo's bicep with an open hand. "That's so bad, Kayo," she giggled. "Cialis. _See Alice_. Hahaha."

She picked up her glass at the same time Kayo reached for her own. The blonde's focus suddenly switched to the ring on Kayo's finger. She reached out and began to trace her fingers across Kayo's ring,

"It's my class ring, from West Point," Kayo explained.

"It's a large ring."

"Yup."

Her attention drifted from the ring itself, to Kayo's hands.

"You have big hands," she stated, acting as if she'd never noticed them before.

"You know what they say about big hands, don't you?"

"What? Oh." Arizona's face crinkled in disgust. "Ewww."

Kayo laughed at the expression on her friend's face.

"But, no, I don't, not really," Arizona protested. "Not firsthand. It's not like I've spent any part of _my_ life determining if that was true or not," Arizona rambled. "Besides, it's not even applicable to you… to women."

"You don't know that," Kayo said with a smirk. "Maybe there's something to it for women, too."

Arizona looked at Kayo through slightly glassy eyes. "You mean the size of the…"

Kayo nodded and tossed back her drink.

"Huh. I can't say I ever thought about… that… before."

Arizona pondered it for a minute and Kayo wondered if Arizona's mind had wandered yet again from the topic being discussed.

"And how would you decide if there was a correlation between the two? Is it just the size of the hands or if the hands were disproportionately large to the rest of the body? And what constitutes a large…" Arizona lowered her voice. "You know…" She looked at Kayo. "You've been with a lot of women… lots more than I have… what do you think?"

"Honestly, I haven't a clue. I never thought about it."

"Then why… wait… you're just messing with me, aren't you?"

Kayo nodded and Arizona smacked her in the bicep again.

"You need to stop doing that," Kayo said as she lifted her hand and ordered another round of drinks.

"What?"

"Hitting me."

"Oh." Arizona sat back, her eyes finding Kayo's hands again. "Well, as I was saying before you interrupted me," she said, tossing a unreadable look at Kayo. "You have big hands. I don't know how you operate with them."

"Oh, I've got very talented hands," Kayo commented with a cocky grin.

"And just how talented are they?" Arizona asked, her voice low and what she hoped was sultry.

Arizona had now passed into her second level of intoxication – the 'flirty' Arizona. For the past year or two, Callie had been the only one privvy to that Arizona, with a few exceptions. Teddy and occasionally Cristina, had seen Arizona use the flirtatious remarks and looks on Callie with great success. Arizona would give Callie a look, whisper something into her ear and within minutes Callie was almost literally dragging the blonde out the door.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Kayo answered her with a question.

The blonde surgeon moved her hand over Kayo's, her fingers lightly trailing over the back of Kayo's hand.

"Um, well, yeah, actually, I think I just might." She tilted her head down and looked up at Kayo. "I suppose I could just ask one of the many nurses who do know, but I think I'd rather find out _firsthand_."

"Why Dr. Robbins, are you flirting with me?" Kayo teased.

"Maybe," the Peds surgeon replied coyly.

"Well, you're not very good at it."

Arizona slapped Kayo's arm once again. "Now you're just being mean."

The blonde slid off her stool and as she moved behind Kayo, another bar patron knocked into her, sending her stumbling toward Kayo. She instinctively threw her hands up to brace herself. Her hands landed flat on Kayo's hard back.

"You okay there, Robbins?" Kayo asked, looking over her shoulder.

"Uh… yeah… I'm good…"

She flexed her hands once or twice on the hard muscles, then ran them across Kayo's broad shoulders.

Arizona stay in the flirtatious stage was brief. She accelerated right into the handsy, touchy-feely stage. Her hands moved up to Kayo's shoulders. Instinctively she began to knead and massage the shoulders, then her fingers moved to Kayo's neck,

"Um, Arizona, what are you doing?" Kayo asked.

As soon as Kayo swiveled around on her stool, she knew it was the wrong move. Arizona stepped closer, standing… no swaying… between Kayo's legs, their bodies not quite touching. Kayo wanted to groan, and nearly did when the blonde's hands dropped to the tops of Kayo's thighs. She could feel the heat from the small hands as they slowly ran up and down her thighs.

"I, uh, I think it's, uh, time to, uh, call it a night," Kayo stuttered, gently lifting Arizona's hands from her legs.

"Are you sure? I'm ready for more fun."

"No, I think you've had enough."

Kayo motioned to Joe for the check.

"Everything all right, Dr. Dwyer?" he asked in quiet voice. "Dr. Robbins is… I've never seen her this drunk before."

"I've got it, Joe. She'll be fine," Kayo answered, tossing a wad of cash on the bar. "Thanks for checking."

"Okay, Dr. Dwyer. Have a good night."

Kayo helped Arizona into her coat, then handed her purse to her.

"Ready?"

"Ready, willing and able," the blonde replied. There was no mistaking the meaning in her words or tone of voice.

Kayo rolled her eyes as she steered the inebriated woman out the door. She wondered what she was going to do with her friend. _If I take her back to her apartment, we could run into Torres. That would not be good at all. I don't need Torres to see me taking a drunk Arizona home. And even if I manage to get her home without being seen, I don't dare leave her alone. I wouldn't put it past her to go pound on the door across the hall. Shit. I guess I'll take her back to Teddy's. She'll be home by now and will know what to do_.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Callie paced back and forth in Mark's apartment, keeping a sharp ear out for the sound of the door across the hall opening. When she'd left the hospital, Arizona was still in the OR, but that had been hours ago. Surely she was done by now.

She stopped, hearing footsteps in the hall outside the door. She eagerly flung the door open, expecting to see Arizona. Her face fell when she saw Mark standing there, keys in hand.

"Don't look so glad to see me, Cal," he said.

"I thought… I tbought you were somebody else."

"If you're looking for blondie, she left hours ago. Word has it she totally rocked her surgery."

Callie's mind instantly thought of how she and Arizona usually 'celebrated' a tough surgery. At the very least, Arizona would be wanting a drink or two if she couldn't find Callie right away.

"Let's go," Callie said, grabbing her coat and purse.

"Where are we going?" Mark asked, following her out the door.

"Joe's. I feel like having a drink. I don't want to be sitting around here tonight."

"Okay."

They walked in silence to Joe's bar. Once inside, Mark immediately made a beeline for Lexie. Callie took a quick glance around the room as she headed for the bar. She nodded to Meredith and Cristina who looked like they'd been drinking for some time.

"Tequila, Joe. Make it two," Callie ordered.

"Coming right up, Dr. Torres."

Meredith wasn't so drunk that she couldn't see how Callie was looking around the bar but trying not to be obvious about it.

"She's not here," Meredith said. "She left about two minutes before you got here."

"Who?" Callie asked, pretending she didn't know who Meredith was talking about. She quickly downed her first shot of tequila.

"Roller girl," Cristina said.

"Who said I was looking for her?" Callie asked, a nervous, embarrassed hitch to her voice.

"She left with GI Jane," Cristina continued as if she hadn't heard Callie. "And was she shit-faced. I don't think I've ever seen her _that_ drunk."

"Yeah, whatever," Callie retorted, trying to act like she didn't care as she picked up her second shot of tequila.

"I didn't know they were _friends_," Meredith said.

"Where have you been, Grey?" Callie stopped herself from saying anything more.

"Oh, I knew they were friends like Arizona is with Teddy but I never realized they were friends like you and Mark."

Meredith turned away to greet Derek with a kiss.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Callie said, more to herself than anyone else.

"You've been treating her like shit, Cal," Cristina said.

"If I remember correctly, you were never her biggest fan, Yang."

"I know I was totally with the blondie-bashing when she left, but even I think enough is enough. I don't know if you want her back or not, and I'm not sure I care what you want. I just think you're being mean, and that's not you, Callie."

"And how does that have anything to do with… GI Jane?" Callie nearly spat the words out.

"Maybe nothing," the Asian resident said cryptically. "But if I were you, I'd give it some thought."

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Teddy's cottage was still dark when they arrived. Kayo silently cursed to herself, hoping that she could manage a drunk Arizona by herself.

"Let's get you to bed," Kayo said, guiding Arizona to what was no longer the guest room, but her room.

"Ooooh, you're going to take me to bed?" Arizona said hopefully.

"No, putting you to bed and taking you to bed are two different things. I'm putting you to bed and then I'm going to sleep on the couch."

"You're no fun," Arizona pouted.

"Okay, let's get you something to sleep in," Kayo said ignoring Arizona. "Will a t-shirt be enough or do you want some sweats or shorts too?" Kayo asked as she opened the dresser drawer.

"A t-shirt is fine," Arizona said, sitting on the bed.

She managed with some difficulty to take her boots off, then she pulled her shirt off over her head. Kayo turned around, t-shirt in hand and stopped, her mouth dropping open. She couldn't take her eyes off of the blonde and her navy blue bra covered breasts. _Sweet Jesus_, Kayo thought, feeling her entire body grow warm. _She's… they're even more magnificent that I could have imagined_.

Arizona wasn't so drunk that she couldn't see the lust in Kayo's eyes. She watched as Kayo wordlessly held out the t-shirt. Making a bold decision, the blonde tugged hard on it, surprising Kayo. The Trauma surgeon found herself tumbling toward the bed and Arizona. At the last moment she twisted her body and landed flat on her back beside the smaller woman. She wasn't sure how it happened, but the next she knew Arizona was bent over her. Her legs were straddling Kayo's thigh and her hands were on either side of Kayo's head.

"What the hell, Arizona?"

"Kayo, you get a lot of women who tell you 'yes', don't you?"

"Uh… I… um…" She felt like an idiot; a babbling, incoherent idiot.

"This is me…" Arizona leaned in, her lips nearly touching Kayo's. "… saying yes…"

Arizona's lips crashed into hers. Kayo raised her hands as if to push the blonde away and they immediately brushed against Arizona's breasts. She jerked her hands away as if she'd been burned.

Kayo knew absolutely, positively, unequivocally that she should stop the kiss, but it was so, so hard. Kayo couldn't recall ever being so possessed by a kiss. Arizona Robbins may have been an extremely gifted, world-class even, surgeon, but Kayo now believed her real talent lay in her kissing. She reached up with one hand, tangling it in long blonde tresses as she returned the kiss with equal ardor.

For Arizona, so much of what was happening felt wrong. The hair that her fingers were currently enmeshed was short, thick and coarse, not long and silky. The body beneath her was hard and all angles, not curvy and voluptuous. The breasts pressed against her own were small and firm, not soft and full. In the back of her mind, she knew she should stop, but she also didn't want it to stop, either. The lips kissing her back felt oh, so good, and the hard thigh wedged between her own felt even better. It didn't take long for her to stop thinking about what was happening and to completely lose herself in the kisses.

After one long, particularly needy and passionate kiss, whatever remaining hesitation Kayo had felt was gone. Willpower melted; promises to Teddy forgotten. She allowed herself to give in the relentless heady kisses. She didn't protest as her hands were grasped and raised up to cup firm, lace covered breasts. She didn't stop herself from tracing her thumbs over hardening nipples. Instinct made her bend her knee and apply pressure to the body above that was grinding against her thigh.

Kayo couldn't think about anything; didn't _want_ to think about anything. All she wanted to do was keep feeling… everything. She didn't want the kisses to stop. She didn't want any of it to stop.

It wasn't until she felt Arizona's hands fumbling with her belt, that her head cleared and she knew that what was happening had to _HAD TO_ stop. She turned her head, breaking off from the kiss, and she gently, but firmly pulled Arizona's hands away.

"What's wrong?" Arizona asked, moving in for another kiss.

"We need to stop. We need to stop now."

"Why? Don't you want to?"

"Arizona, stop, please. You don't really want this."

"But I do."

"No, you don't. Not like this, you don't. You're drunk, and you're hurting, and you're angry, and you… we… will both regret it in the morning."

"Kayo…"

"No, Arizona. If this goes any further it will totally ruin any chance you have of getting back with Callie."

_Callie? Oh my God, what am I doing?_ Arizona rolled away from Kayo. _What have I done? I shouldn't be doing this? I love Callie And what about Kayo? What about our friendship? Have I destroyed that too?_.

Kayo saw the look of horror and self-loathing cross Arizona's face. She moved behind her, gently placing her hand on the smaller woman's back.

"It's okay, Arizona. It's not your fault. I should've stopped it sooner." She rubbed her hand along Arizon's back. "I shouldn't have put us in this position."

"No, don't you take the blame for it. I was the one who kissed you."

"And I kissed you back," Kayo argued.

They both moved so they were laying on their backs, side by side. Neither of them spoke for several minutes.

"Arizona, let's just forget this happened, okay? I won't tell anyone if you won't. We'll just chalk it up to drunken stupidity."

"I am so embarrassed."

"Don't be. I'm flattered. Really."

"I'm sorry, Kayo."

"Don't apologize, Arizona. Please. No regrets, okay? We stopped it before it… before it was too late, so… no harm, no foul."

"Are you sure, Kayo? Are we okay?"

"_We_ are fine." Kayo sat up. "I think it would be best if I slept on the couch."

"No, don't. Just stay, Kayo. I won't… we won't… let anything else happen. I just don't want to be alone tonight, okay?"

"Arizona…."

"Please?" she asked, her hand on Kayo's arm. "I'm so tired of being alone. For one night, can't you just stay here with me?"

"As a friend… nothing more."

Arizona nodded, laying back down. She snuggled her body back into Kayo's, pulling Kayo's arm about her waist. It took a few minutes for the two friends to finally relax with one another.

"I guess this means I won't find out what it means to be KO'd," Arizona said with a small laugh.

"And I won't find out if you really do wear a thong or not," Kayo replied, chuckling.

"A girl's got to have some secrets, Kayo."

"Go to sleep, 'zona," Kayo said.


	10. Chaos

**Nothing Comes Easily by captstarbuck**

**An old friend and a new friend helps Arizona. **

**AN: This is, for the most part, Calzona, but Arizona-centric, with lots of other Grey's characters. It's slightly AU/Mostly Canon. This starts just before Arizona returns from Africa and varies a bit in the story of bringing them back together. Let's just say I bend the timeline and modify a few scenes to suit my own purposes.**

**AN: Once again, extreme gratitude to my beta-reader, Stacy D'Lacy. **

**Disclaimers – All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual. (I don't own any of the characters from Grey's Anatomy. All of that belongs to Shondaland et al. I just wanted to take them out and play)**

Chapter Ten – Chaos

Teddy had come home late, stripped and fallen into bed. After six and a half hours of hard sleep, she woke up, the exhaustion from the previous day gone. She got up, threw on some clothes, then went into the kitchen to start the coffee. She noticed that Kayo's bedroom door was still slightly ajar_. I wonder if I can talk Kayo into going for a short run this morning_, she thought.

Carrying two mugs of freshly brewed coffee, she pushed Kayo's bedroom door open with her hip. She suddenly came to a complete stop in the doorway when she spotted another body sprawled across Kayo's. Teddy couldn't tell in the dim light who was in bed with Kayo, but she could make out blonde hair and a dark colored bra on pale skin. The woman's face was pressed against Kayo's neck, one arm across Kayo's waist and a leg hooked around one of Kayo's legs. Teddy's friend was flat on her back, one arm flung straight out, the other loosely wrapped around her sleeping companion.

Teddy quietly backed out of the room. Juggling the two mugs with one hand, she closed the door. She laughed to herself. _Well, that's the first time that I know of that Kayo's brought someone home. And from the looks of it, they'd passed out before they finished. Oh, I can't wait to see who's going to be doing the walk of shame out of that room_. She positioned herself at the breakfast bar and waited.

The sound of the door closing had woken Arizona up. She lifted her head, groaning as a sharp pain pierced her skull. She forced one eye open to look at the clock. _Shit! Oh, shit, I've got rounds in an hour. Shit shit shit shit shit_, she cursed, sitting up. _Oh, God, I feel like crap. I drank way too much last night. I'm too old to be drinking like a college student. What was I thinking? Vodka? _

She was startled to find herself half dressed and atop Kayo. She closed her eyes tightly and breathed deeply. _Oh, damn, it wasn't a dream. We… I… really did… it really happened_. She brought her hands to her face and rubbed her eyes. _No time for this now. I've got to get dressed and get to the hospital. I've got a change of clothes in my locker and I can shower there._ She looked around for her shirt. _Wait, how am I going to get to the hospital?_

She quickly and deftly disentangled herself from Kayo and got off the bed. Spotting the large t-shirt that Kayo had taken out for her, she picked it up and pulled it on. She then located her purse and found a tie for her hair, which she then quickly pulled into a loose ponytail. _Okay, bathroom, coffee, aspirin_ she repeated to herself several times.

Fifteen minutes later, Arizona had cleaned herself up as best as she could. She looked over at the still asleep Trauma surgeon. Even though Kayo had wanted her to know that nothing had changed, that they were still 'good', she wondered if that were true. Could they really pretend nothing had happened? Even if they were successful at staying friends, a small part of Arizona also wondered what would have happened if Kayo hadn't stopped them. _Would I have stopped us from going any further? Would I have been strong as Kayo had been and kept us from making a mistake that we would've regretted forever?_

She leaned over and gently shook Kayo's shoulder. Kayo groaned and rolled over, pulling the pillow over her head.

"Kayo? Kayo, I need you to get up now. I need a ride to work."

"Five more minutes…"

"Please, Kayo, get up."

"Okay, okay," she grumbled, tossing the pillow aside.

"I'll get the coffee started."

"Thanks."

Once she was sure Kayo was actually out of bed, Arizona left the room. Her mind still a little foggy from her headache, Arizona didn't see Teddy sitting at the breakfast bar.

"Arizona?" Teddy gasped, her mouth agape.

"Oh, Teddy, good morning. I didn't see you there." Arizona spotted the full pot of coffee. "Oh, coffee, thank God. I love you, Teddy," Arizona said, pouring a cup for herself.

"What are you doing here, Arizona?" Teddy asked, her brain still trying to reconcile what she'd seen earlier to the woman standing in her kitchen.

"Oh, I drank way too much last night and Kayo brought me here."

"That was you… that was you in her bed?" Teddy sputtered.

Arizona nodded, blowing on her coffee to cool it.

"You… you were… you didn't have a shirt on, Arizona."

It was then that Arizona noticed the odd look on Teddy's face. Her friend looked disappointed and distressed and… Arizona thought for a moment. Anger. _Teddy looks angry, really angry_.

"It's not what you think, Teddy."

"How can it not be?" she nearly shouted. "I saw you, Arizona. You were half naked and on top of Kayo." Teddy slammed her coffee cup down onto the counter. "I'm going to kill her. I'm going to fucking kill her," she repeated, getting up from the stool she was perched on. "Kayo! Kayo, get your ass out here now!"

"Teddy! Stop it!" Arizona said, stepping in front of her. "It's not Kayo's fault."

"Bullshit. I know how she is."

Arizona set her own cup down, and grabbed both of Teddy's arms. "Teddy, listen to me. Nothing happened. I mean, it almost did, but it didn't."

"Kayo just couldn't help herself, I suppose," she spat.

"No, I started it and Kayo stopped it."

Kayo had finished her shower and was getting dressed when she heard Teddy yelling. _Oh, fuck_, she said to herself. _Bear knows Arizona spent the night_. She quickly pulled on her pants and her sports bra. She grabbed a t-shirt and went out to the kitchen.

Teddy took a step toward Kayo, and Arizona stopped her. The smaller woman turned to look at Kayo, then halted. It was the first time she'd seen Kayo's scarred body and it startled her. Teddy hadn't lied about Kayo's body being a mess.

Kayo noticed Arizona staring at her and she quickly pulled her t-shirt on. She only had a moment to be ashamed and embarrassed by the scars. Her bigger concern was Teddy, who had started to take a threatening step toward Kayo. She took a few steps back, not wanting to confront her friend.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Dwyer? You promised me! You stood in front of me and swore you wouldn't!"

"And I didn't, Bear," Kayo said, her voice both quiet and firm.

"And I suppose Arizona's shirt came off all by itself?" Teddy scoffed.

"No, that was me, Teddy," Arizona interjected. "It was all me. I was drunk and… and I sort of forced myself on Kayo."

"Yeah, right." Teddy rolled her eyes. "Like I believe that one."

"Teddy, listen to me," Arizona said, her hands still on Teddy's arms. "I'm embarrassed enough about all this, but it's true. We were both pretty drunk. Well, I was, anyway. Kayo brought me here so I wouldn't do anything foolish… about Callie. Yes, we kissed, but I kissed her. It didn't go any further because Kayo stopped it." Arizona squeezed Teddy's arms. "Teddy, I've never lied to you before, and I'm not lying now. Kayo kept it from going any further."

"You don't… you don't know how she can be, Arizona," Teddy said, her anger slowly fading.

"I do, Teddy. And I appreciate you looking out for me, but I'm responsible. You can't blame Kayo. Not this time."

"Bear, I swear on our friendship, I didn't… I didn't let it… I didn't let us…" Kayo was almost pleading. "I wouldn't do that. I would never take advantage of Arizona."

"Please, Teddy." Arizona was pleading herself. "Believe us."

"Okay, okay. I believe you," Teddy said after a few minutes.

Arizona eased her grip on Teddy. She gave the Cardio surgeon an affectionate squeeze. "Thank you. Thank you, Teddy."

"Bear…"

"Just give me a minute, Kayo, please?"

"Yeah, sure." Kayo cleared her throat. "I'm gonna go get some shoes and socks on." She turned to Arizona. "I'll get you to the hospital in time for rounds, 'zona. Just give me five."

"Sure."

Arizona sipped her coffee and watched the emotions flicker across Teddy's face.

"Teddy, are you… are we okay?"

"Yes, Arizona," she sighed. "It was just such a shock… to have seen you… the two of you in bed together."

"I know. I'm kind of shocked myself."

"Arizona, please be careful. Please."

"I will, Teddy. I will."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mark came out of his room, dressed and ready for work. His 'temporary' roommate was sitting up on the sofa, a blanket tangled around her. She looked like she hadn't slept all night.

"You need to get ready, Cal. We have to be at work in thirty minutes."

"She didn't come home, Mark."

"What? Who?" he asked, pouring a cup of coffee. He didn't know how he ever survived before purchasing an automatic coffee maker. All he had to do was remember to set it the night before. He loved modern technology.

"Arizona. She never came home."

"Maybe she got called into the hospital."

"No, Yang and Grey said she was really drunk. She's a lot of things, Mark, but she's not irresponsible. She'd never work if she was drunk,"

"So, how do you know she didn't come home?" he queried, handing her a fresh cup of coffee. "Oh, no, you didn't sit up all night, did you?"

Callie's face was full of anguish.

"Cal, that's just pathetic," he said, sitting beside her.

"What if she was sleeping with Dwyer? They said she wasn't, but she left with her." Her words came in a rush, "She was drinking with her last night. And… and…"

"Stop torturing yourself, Torres."

"It's killing me, Mark," the Latina admitted. "The thought of Arizona with someone else…"

"Callie, you need to talk to her. You need to tell her how you feel. And you need to do it without yelling." Mark felt like a broken record. How many times had he told her this? Was she ever going to listen to him?

He stood back up and pulled his best friend to her feet. "Go get ready for work."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Arizona didn't know which was making her feel worse – the hangover or the guilt. The hangover was making her ill physically, but at least that would eventually go away. The guilt made her heart ache and coffee, aspirin and sleep wouldn't cure it like they would cure a hangover. Last night's overindulgence of alcohol had turned into a God-awful mess. She'd crossed the line, or at least tip-toed along it with Kayo, and that had possibly ruined a good friendship. She still couldn't get over the look of horror and anger on Teddy's face, even if it hadn't been directed at her. Worse yet, she'd betrayed her own feelings for Callie. She felt like she'd been cheating on Callie. Her head hurt from all the thinking.

_God, I miss being the head of Peds_, she thought. With the loss of that position, came the loss of the office and her one sure place for privacy. She briefly considered going to the helipad, but it had been raining steadily since she'd arrived at the hospital and she couldn't do her charts there anyway. She was going to be stuck doing them in an on-call room or the doctors' lounge. Sighing heavily, she carried her charts into the lounge. An on-call room was out of the question. The temptation to use one of the beds to sleep off the hangover would've been too great.

She piled the stack of charts on one of the small tables before pouring herself the largest cup of coffee possible. She grimaced from the vile taste of the cheap coffee, but continued drinking it. She'd trade-off the taste for the caffeine boost it provided. Setting her cup next to the stack, she sat down at the table and opened the chart on the top of the pile. It only took a few minutes for her to realize that she was really, really going to have to force herself to get through paperwork.

The blonde thought back to the night before. _Whatever possessed me to kiss Kayo? I practically forced myself on her. I know I was drunk, but I know better_. _I know better_. She quietly groaned and rested her head in her hands. _I'm ashamed to admit it felt nice to kiss Kayo, to be kissed. And even the few moments of… of groping had felt nice. Oh, who am I kidding? It all felt good. Maybe even a little more than just good. God, it has been so long since I've…_ Realization slammed into Arizona. _Since before I left… Callie…_ No matter how good it all felt, it was still… something was missing. There was no spark, none of that tingling that she felt from her head to her toes whenever she touched, or was touched by Callie. Her body had responded instinctively to what she and Kayo had shared, but it wasn't… it wasn't Callie, and that was who she was craving, who she wanted. Callie.

She was quickly snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the door push open and two voices chattering about a surgery. Arizona looked up and gave Meredith and Cristina a brief smile in greeting.

"Good morning, Dr. Robbins," Meredith said.

"Good morning, Grey, Yang," she replied.

"Rough night?" Yang asked.

"What? What do you mean?" Arizona hoped she didn't sound as guilty as she felt.

"You were sure pounding them down at Joe's last night," the Asian woman offered as an explanation as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

"Yes, well, I'm fine now."

The two residents shared a look and a smile, wondering what had happened after the Peds surgeon had left with the Trauma surgeon.

"Speak of the devil," Meredith whispered, nudging Cristina as she spotted Kayo as she came into the room.

Kayo sauntered over to Arizona and dropped a medium-sized paper bag on top of the blonde's charts. Ignoring the younger doctors, she turned a chair around so that she was facing her friend.

Arizona bit back the panic she felt. She wondered if Kayo was going to make some comment about what had happened at Teddy's or even worse, make a scene.

"Thought you could use these," Kayo said pushing the bag closer to Arizona.

Arizona sighed, still feeling somewhat fearful. She opened the bag and couldn't stop a grin from breaking out.

"You brought me donuts?" she almost squealed, taking one chocolate frosted donut out of the bag. "Oh, God, Kayo, thank you. I so needed a donut."

"I brought you more than just _a _donut," Kayo said reaching for the bag and taking out one for herself.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," she said between bites of the sugary treat.

"Yeah, I figured you probably needed some comfort food for your hangover."

Arizona's sigh became one of contentment as she happily munched on her second donut. Kayo smiled, pleased that she could alleviate some of her friend's misery.

"I have to go back to the ER." Kayo snagged another donut then stood up. "See you at lunch? I'll track Teddy and Owen down." _If Teddy's still speaking to me, that is_.

"Sure. Maybe I'll want to eat real food by then."

"And try to catch a nap when you start crashing from the sugar rush," Kayo called out with a laugh as she left the room.

Arizona smiled back at her friend. She reconsidered Kayo. The tall Trauma surgeon had always been thoughtful and protective of her. Kayo always seemed to know what she needed, or when she needed a boost to her spirits. _Maybe… maybe if doesn't ever work out with Callie, I should give Kayo a chance_. She shook her head once as if to clear that thought from her mind. _No, that would be settling, and it wouldn't be fair to either of us. Besides, Callie is it for me._

From across the room, Cristina and Meredith had curiously watched the two doctors.

"Is that weird, or what?" Cristina asked.

"What?"

"Do you think that donuts are some kind of code or something between them? They were enjoying those donuts way too much."

"Cristina, you're starting to think like Sloan. Not everything is about sex." Meredith topped off her cup of coffee. "C'mon. I have to work the pit in ten minutes."

As the two women rounded the corner they collided with Callie.

"Christ! Can't you two watch where you're going?" Callie exclaimed.

"Sorry," Meredith apologized for herself and Cristina.

"Have either of you seen Arizona?" Callie asked as she brushed off her white lab coat.

"Doctors' Lounge," Meredith said, gesturing over her shoulder.

"Thanks."

"She's pretty hungover, Cal," Cristina said as she continued down the hall with her best friend.

"Great," Callie muttered. The few times in the past that she'd dealt with a hungover Arizona had not been pleasant. 'Drunk' Arizona had been fun, even sexy. 'Hungover' Arizona… not so much. She took a deep breath before entering into the room.

Arizona was still sitting at the small table. Fortified by several donuts, she'd actually managed to work on her charts, despite the massive headache that still pounded at her temples.

"Arizona?"

Arizona looked up from her work. She felt her heart and body respond to the Latina woman. She couldn't help it, and she struggled to put a damper on her feelings.

"What, Dr. Torres? Do you need a consult?"

"No. Can we talk?"

Arizona stiffened. Talking meant Callie yelling at her, losing her temper at her. She wasn't ready to go down that road again any time soon, especially not with a hangover that she truly thought could fell a moose.

"No."

"Arizona, please…"

"No, now is not a good time."

Before Callie could say anything more, Arizona's pager went off, interrupting them. Arizona glanced down at it and saw the request for her presence in the ER. She nearly groaned, grateful for the excuse. She slammed the chart closed. "I have to answer this," she said, waving the small device.

Callie's shoulders slumped as she watched Arizona rush out the door.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Arizona entered the ER and looked for April Kepner, who had paged her. Spotting the fourth-year resident, she strode over to her.

"You paged me, Dr. Kepner?"

"Yes, Dr. Robbins. I've got a mother and her eight year old son in exam room three."

"Diagnosis?" Arizona asked, holding her hand out for the chart.

"I believe the mother has some broken bones in her face, as well as numerous contusions all over her body, possibly some broken ribs. I'm pretty sure the boy has a broken arm and possibly some internal bleeding."

"Accident?" Arizona asked, quickly reviewing the chart.

"Domestic violence," April said quietly.

"Damn," Arizona cursed under her breath as she pushed the door open.

The mother stood behind the little boy who was sitting on the exam table. Both mother and son looked down, unable or unwilling to make eye contact with the blonde Peds surgeon. Arizona suppressed a sigh and set the chart down on the exam table.

"Hi. I'm Dr. Robbins. What's your name?" she asked the boy, offering him a kind smile.

The little boy remained silent, staring at his feet.

"Answer the doctor," his mother said, resignation in her voice.

The boy quietly mumbled, "Bobby."

"Bobby? Bobby is a great name," Arizona said, looking over the more visible injury to his left arm. "That's a much better name than mine or Dr. Kepner's. Her parents must have been confused. They named her after month."

Bobby's head remained down, but he raised his eyes curiously.

"Dr. Kepner's name is April. How silly is that? I guess naming her April is better than naming her November, huh?"

A tiny smile tugged at his mouth.

"Can you lay down for me, Bobby?"

He moved up onto the table and laid back onto the exam table.

Arizona lifted his shirt. "My name is the same as a state. Can you guess which one?"

Bobby's face twisted in concentration. "Umm…. Virginia?" he guessed.

"No, but that's a really good guess. Can you think of another one?" she asked as she palpitated his abdomen, noting the tenderness in the upper left quadrant.

"I know… it's Carolina."

"Nope," Arizona said with a smile as she pulled his shirt back down. "My name is Arizona. That's even sillier than April."

The boy giggled.

April Kepner watched not in a little awe at how easily Dr. Robbins had managed to establish a rapport with the young boy. She'd heard the rumors when Dr. Robbins and Dr. Torres had broken up right before the shooting. She'd heard it was because the Peds surgeon didn't want children. That made no sense to April. Dr. Robbins was great with kids and the resident thought she'd make a wonderful mother.

"Bobby, Dr. April is going to take you to get some extra-special pictures of you so we can make sure we fix you up right."

"Can my mommy come with me?"

"Sure. I just need to write up the special instructions for Dr. April and then she'll take you to get them. Is that okay?"

Bobby nodded. Arizona tenderly patted the one unbruised spot on his right arm.

She motioned with her eyes and a quick jerk of her head that she wanted to speak to April in the hallway.

"Get them up to x-ray and page me when you get the results. Did she say how they got the injuries?"

"She told one of the nurses that her husband did it."

"We need to call Child and Family Services and the police. I'll have one of the nurses make the calls. We need a Domestic Violence Unit to come in."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Arizona and April stood in front of the x-rays and scans.

"That arm's been broken before and from the looks of it, never been treated. Page Ortho."

April made note of the attending's instructions.

They moved to the next set of scans and Arizona sighed. "Book an OR. He's got a ruptured spleen." Arizona disgustedly pulled the scans down. "You should probably page Dr. Sloan as well. The mother's going to need stitches and that facial lac is pretty bad."

April immediately paged the doctors per the attending's orders. Arizona began placing the scans in the envelopes, only to be distracted by a very large, very drunk man charging down the hallway.

"Rita! Rita, where the fuck are you?" he shouted.

Arizona stepped protectively in front of the door, April moving beside her.

"Whoa… no… wait! You can't be back here," Arizona said, putting her hand up.

"Out of my way, bitch," he snarled.

"No."

He planted a large hand square into Arizona's chest and shoved her backward. Her head slammed into the doorjamb and she sank to the floor, a stunned look on her face. April froze, unsure if she should go to the attending surgeon or remain in the doorway.

"Get the fuck out of my way," he snarled, taking a threatening step toward the resident. He spotted the blonde as she raised herself to one knee and he lifted his hand.

Kayo had been at the nurses' station and when she saw Arizona tumble to the floor, she went running down the hallway. "Call security!" she called over her shoulder.

April closed her eyes, waiting for the blow to come. She heard a shout and opened her eyes. Dr. Dwyer had grabbed the man's fist and was facing him.

"Back off!" the Trauma surgeon said in a loud voice.

"Take your hands off of me you fucking dyke!"

April watched in horror as the man head-butted Dr. Dwyer between the eyes. She expected to see lots of blood, and she did. She also expected to see the doctor fall to the floor, which she didn't. What shocked the resident was how quickly Kayo pinned the man's arm behind his back as she took him to the floor.

"Knock it off!" Dr. Dwyer said, her body covering his.

"Get off of me," he said, struggling.

"Listen, asshole," Kayo said, her mouth close to his ear. "I'm an Iraq war veteran and I'm a little crazy. I can break your arm with one simple move," she continued, adding a little pressure to his arm making him cry out in pain. "Keep it up and I might just go over the edge and be a lot crazy. There's no telling what I'll do if that happens."

The man continued to struggle, profanity-laced ranting pouring out of his mouth.

At that moment, because she was answering Arpil's page, Callie Torres came around the corner to utter chaos. Security guards were running down the hall. Dr. Dwyer was on top of some man, her forehead and nose dripping blood. Dr. Kepner was standing in the exam room doorway, her face and body frozen in terror.

"What the hell?"

That was when Callie spotted Arizona, sitting on the floor, a nurse beside her. The nurse was holding a bloody towel to the back of Arizona's head. The noise of the security guards, other doctors and nurses rushing over to help faded into the background when she saw Arizona hurt. She immediately ran over to the Peds surgeon, placing herself between Arizona and the crazed man.

As the security guards cuffed the man and pulled him to his feet, he wrenched free. He lowered his head and charged Kayo, knocking her into the shelves filled with medical supplies. Bandages and boxes went flying and Kayo tumbled to the floor. She was stunned for a moment, then jumped to her feet and made an attempt to go after him. By this time, Owen and several police officers had arrived.

"Dr. Dwyer!" he said, stepping in front of Kayo and blocking her. He noticed the wild look in her eyes as she struggled to get at the man. "Major Dwyer!" Owen said harshly. "Major! Stand down!"

Kayo's eyes cleared and she became aware of where she was. Her body slumped against the wall.

Owen looked over his shoulder and was relieved to see the police officers taking control of the man. His eyes shot back to his friend. "Kayo?"

"I'm okay… I'm okay, Owen."

Owen quickly called out instructions to the nurses and doctors who had rushed over to help, asking them to page Shepherd and Bailey.

"Arizona, are you okay?" Callie asked, squatting beside her as she gently placed a hand on the blonde's cheek.

For one brief moment, they connected. Arizona leaned her cheek into Callie's gentle touch.

"I'm good…"

"Let me help you," Callie said, her arm around Arizona's waist as she and the nurse helped the blonde to her feet.

Arizona felt dazed and her head hurt even more. Having Callie so close to her, touching her, was too much. She recoiled. "I'm not your patient, Dr. Torres."

Callie's heart broke upon hearing Arizona call her Dr. Torres and seeing her withdraw from her. Whatever had just passed between them had disappeared in an instant.

"Arizona…"

"Your patient is a scared eight-year old boy. I don't need you to look after me."

"Dr. Robbins, we need to get you to an exam room," the nurse said, hating herself for interrupting.

"Torres!"

Callie spun around at the unmistakable sound of a take-charge Miranda Bailey.

"What the hell is going on here?" Bailey asked, looking at a stunned Arizona Robbins and a bloodied and banged up Kayo Dwyer.

"I don't know, Bailey. I was paged, same as you."

"Oh, good, you're here, Dr. Bailey," Owen said approaching the two women. "We've got a patient that needs surgery right away for a ruptured spleen."

"Then why was I paged?" Callie asked.

"He's got a severely broken arm as well."

"Can't someone else do it?" Callie asked, looking over as a nurse escorted Arizona to an exam room. The Ortho surgeon's chest tightened when she saw the blood on the back of Arizona's coat.

"I'm sorry, Callie, but no. You need to take care of the patient." She opened her mouth to speak and Owen cut her off, his voice kind. "We've got it. She'll be fine."

"C'mon, Torres," Bailey said, taking her by the elbow. "Let's take care of our patient."


	11. Fix It

**Nothing Comes Easily by captstarbuck**

**An old friend and a new friend helps Arizona. **

**AN: This is, for the most part, Calzona, but Arizona-centric, with lots of other Grey's characters. It's slightly AU/Mostly Canon. This starts just before Arizona returns from Africa and varies a bit in the story of bringing them back together. Let's just say I bend the timeline and modify a few scenes to suit my own purposes.**

**AN: Continued thanks to my betareader, Stacy. Also a special shout out to pens_co927 for several awesome suggestions.**

**Disclaimers – All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual. (I don't own any of the characters from Grey's Anatomy. All of that belongs to Shondaland et al. I just wanted to take them out and play)**

Chapter Eleven – Fix It

It took Owen a bit of time before he could restore order. Injured doctors, police officers, CPS workers and a steady infux of typical patients to the ER was aggravating to say the least. Bailey and Callie had quickly disappeared into the exam room where the patient was and Lexie Grey had taken Arizona to another exam room. Kayo was sitting on a chair in the hallway, holding a bloody towel filled with ice to her face. The police had finally left after getting statements from her, April and Arizona. Kepner was hovering over Kayo, getting her a fresh towel and ice.

"I want Derek to check you out, Kayo, when he's done with Robbins." The tone of his voice let Kayo that he wouldn't tolerate any arguments from her. "Anyone seen Sloan?"

"He just went in to Dr. Robbins' room," Dr. Kepner informed him.

"Good. Make sure he takes care of Dr. Dwyer when he's done."

"I'll go tell him now, unless you need me for anything else, Dr. Dwyer."

"I'm fine," Kayo sighed.

April went into the room where Lexie and Mark were dealing with a stubborn blonde Peds surgeon.

"I'm fine, Mark," Arizona protested, attempting to hop off the exam table. "I just bumped my head."

"Stay put, Robbins," Mark said, gently placing his hand on her shoulder.

Arizona huffed and grumbled her displeasure at even having a cursory examination. Mark stepped behind her and lifted the bandage. "You need stitches." He turned to Lexie. "Get me a suture kit."

"Dr. Sloan?"

"Yes, Dr. Kepner?" Mark asked as he pulled on some gloves.

"Dr. Hunt wants you to come to exam room six when you're done here. Dr. Dwyer is going to need stitches as well."

"I'll be there when I'm done. Thanks."

Once April left, Mark took the syringe from Lexie.

"We're going to have to cut some of your hair, Robbins, but you won't have a scar." He smirked. "I'm that good."

"Whatever, Mark. Just get it over with."

She winced as she felt the injection of lidocaine around the wound. "How bad is it?" she asked.

"Seven stitches, tops," he replied, taking the suture kit from Lexie. "So, what the hell happened?" he asked as he began stitching.

"I'm not sure. I remember a lot of yelling and someone pushing me."

"It was awesome," Lexie said. "I saw what happened. After that guy pushed you, Dr. Dwyer jumped in between him and you and April. He headbutted Dr. Dwyer. Right between the eyes! She put him on the floor so fast. Guess that military training is a handy thing to know."

"How's Kayo… Dr. Dwyer?" Arizona asked, trying not to wince at the tugging she felt in the back of her head.

"All I saw was a lot of blood on her face."

Mark stepped back. "All done. That wasn't so bad, was it?" he commented, snapping his gloves off with a flourish.

"Can I go now?" Arizona said, getting off the exam table.

"No. I have to take you up for a head CT," Lexie said. "Dr. Hunt's orders. You can't leave the hospital until Derek clears you."

"He isn't even down here," Arizona said, exasperation lacing her voice.

"He's in surgery, but he'll be done by the time you and Dr. Dwyer are done with your CTs."

"Unless you need me for anything else, ladies, I must move on to the next lacerated lesbian."

"Mark!" Lexie and Arizona chorused.

He grinned at the two women and as he left, an orderly showed up with a wheelchair.

"I don't need a wheelchair, Lexie."

"Hospital policy, no exceptions," the resident stated firmly, helping Arizona off the exam table.

"Could this day get any worse?" Arizona said with a sigh. "Can we at least stop and see how Dr. Dwyer is?"

"Sure."

The blonde grudgingly settled into the wheelchair and Lexie steered the wheelchair out of the room. They rolled unnoticed into the exam room next door. They arrived in time to see Mark step between Kayo's legs and put his hands on her nose.

"Motherfucker!" Kayo exclaimed.

"I told you it would hurt," Mark said to Kayo as stepped back from re-setting her nose. "But, no, you didn't want any painkillers."

"It never hurt this badly before," she said, lifting her hand to her nose and gingerly touching it. The sharp, stinging pain brought tears to her eyes.

"It's been broken before?"

"Twice."

"How?"

"Playing soccer in college and… and a fight."

Mark chuckled. "Are you going to let me give you something before I stitch you up?"

"Just hurry up and do it so I can get out of here."

"Oh, I don't think you're going anywhere until we get the results of your CT." Mark picked up the suture kit. "You're sure? I can give you a shot to numb it up a little."

"I don't care, Sloan. Just put in the damned stitches."

"Painkillers it is," he said, prepping the needle.

"Can I get you anything, Dr. Dwyer?" April Kepner offered.

"Can you find out how Dr. Robbins is?"

"I'm fine," Arizona said from her wheelchair.

Kayo whipped her head around just as Mark was about to stick the needle in her forehead.

"Hold still, Dwyer," he said, steadying the syringe once again.

"You okay, Arizona?" Kayo asked, unable to hide her concern for her friend.

"Yes, thanks to you."

"Dr. Robbins, we have to go to Radiology," Lexie interrupted after checking her pager. "They're waiting for you."

"I'll see you later, Kayo. Thank you."

"It was nothing," Kayo replied, watching Lexie wheel Arizona away.

"How is she, really?" Kayo asked Mark after the resident and the attending were out of the room.

"I think she'll be okay. I put in seven stitches." He waited a moment before beginning to stitch the wounds closed. "Robbins is pretty hardheaded."

He studied the Trauma surgeon as he stitched. He'd heard the talk about the Kayo and the nurses. He'd also heard the rumors about her and Arizona.

"So, you and blondie."

"So, you and Torres."

Mark leaned back and stared down his down at her. "You had to go there, huh?"

"I'm not having this conversation with you, Sloan."

"So the talk is true?"

"The truth doesn't matter in this hospital so I'm not saying anything."

"Don't ask, don't tell?"

"There's nothing to tell." Kayo glared at him.

"Uh huh," he said, his voice full of disbelief.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It had taken Callie every drop of willpower to maintain her professionalism when she and Bailey had gone into the exam room holding what had now become Bailey's patient. Every part of the Latina's brain and heart were screaming at her to go the other exam room to make sure Arizona was okay. Seeing the blood on the wall and Arizona's lab coat had frightened Callie to the core. And the dazed look in the blonde's eyes… that worried Callie even more.

Somehow she and Bailey had managed to calm the little boy down and then explain to him that they were going to fix up 'good as new'. Callie had even been able to coax a small smile from him when she let him pick the color of his cast.

After watching Meredith escort the boy and his mother up to pre-op, Callie grabbed a quick cup of coffee from the doctors' lounge then made a stop at the Attendings' locker room. She took a few minutes to sit on the bench in front of her locker and scarf down a power bar that she'd stashed earlier in the week. Who knew when she'd have a chance to eat again?

By the time she'd reached the surgical floor, Callie's stomach was churning. Before she could even get to the scrub room, she ran to the nearest bathroom and vomited. Addison's question suddenly popped into the forefront of her brain. _Oh, God, could I be pregnant? Think. When was my last period?_ Callie placed her hand to her forehead, mentally calculating the weeks. Realizing that she'd skipped a period, Callie leaned over the toilet and vomited again.

The bathroom door pushed open. "Torres? Are you in here?" said a familiar voice. "The nurse said she saw you go in here."

"I'll be right out, Bailey," she said, her voice unsteady.

"The patient has been prepped and we need to scrub in."

"Give me a sec."

"You okay, Torres?"

"I'm fine," she said, biting her lip and choking back a sob.

"Okay, then. Hurry up."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Callie and Bailey stood in front of the sinks and scrubbed out in silence. Miranda Bailey had noticed the Ortho surgeon had been uncharacteristically quiet during the surgery. The General surgeon was concerned enough about her fellow surgeon that she was going to break one of her own rules and intervene.

"Torres?"

The Latina seemed to be off in her own world.

"Callie?"

That got Callie's attention. Bailey almost never used her first name.

"What?"

"I'm going to do something you and I both know I don't like to do." She took a deep breath. "I'm going to get involved," she continued, gesturing with her hand, "in your personal business."

"Bailey…"

At that moment Lexie pushed the door open.

"Oh, good, I found you. Dr. Torres?"

Callie spun around. "What?" she asked, her voice sharp.

Lexie reflexively took a step back. "I… I just wanted to give you an update on Arizona, Callie."

"How is she?" Callie's voice softened.

"She and Dr. Dwyer are both being held over for observation. They've both got mild concussions. Mark had to put stitches in." Lexie paused. "She also wanted an update on her patient."

"We'll be down to give her update in a little while," Bailey said. "Thank you, Dr. Grey."

Lexie knew when she'd been dismissed and she quietly backed out of the room.

"You still care," Bailey stated after a moment. She couldn't miss the look on Callie's face when Lexie mentioned Arizona's injuries.

"Of course I do." Callie sighed. "I never stopped caring, even when… even after she left."

"Do you still love her?"

"Yes." There was no hesitation in Callie's voice.

"Then you need to fix it."

"It's not that easy."

"Of course it's not. Nothing worthwhile is ever easy."

Callie remained silent.

"You've both said and done some pretty hurtful things to one another. " The shorter woman dried her hands off. "Do you want to know how to fix it?"

The Latina nodded.

"You start fixing it by apologizing to her." She held her hand up in anticipation of Callie's protests. "I know she left you, and that's a big thing to overcome. But she did come back, Callie."

Callie opened her mouth to respond, but Bailey cut her off. "I'm not saying she was right or wrong to leave, and I'm not saying you have no right to be angry. I'm just saying you, Callie Torres, have said some pretty harsh things to Arizona, someone you claim to love."

Callie thought about responding to Bailey, but one look at the shorter woman's face and Callie's mouth snapped shut.

"And don't you tell me that it's all gossip. I myself have heard some of the things you've said to her."

Callie looked down at her hands. Bailey was right. Mark, Teddy, Cristina, even - Callie cringed - Dwyer were right.

"I know you're an adult, Torres, so you need to stop acting like a child and stop the yelling."

"I know, I know. I've tried to talk to her, but…"

"Try harder."

"I think it's beyond fixing, Bailey," Callie said, tears suddenly filling her eyes.

"If you think it's because she's moved on to someone else, you're wrong. There's nothing going on between her and Dr. Dwyer. Trust me. Bailey hears all and knows all."

"I think I'm pregnant," Callie blurted out.

"What? Pregnant? How?" An image of a blue drink suddenly appeared in Bailey's mind. "Sexual Sorbet," she said, as the pieces fell into place. Callie's mood swings, the vomiting… it all fit.

Callie nodded, still looking down. She couldn't meet her friend's eyes.

"Are you sure?"

"No. I just realized that I could be."

"Do not say anything to anyone, especially Arizona, until you know for sure."

"What am I going to do, Bailey?"

"Nothing. You're going to do nothing until you take a test."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Meredith left post-op and spotted her best friend standing by the nurses' station with Dr. Altman, The Cardio surgeon and the resident were both still in their surgical gowns and scrub caps. Meredith walked over and snagged a chip from the open bag sitting on the counter in front of her friend.

"You missed all the excitement in the pit," Meredith said casually.

"You caught a surgery?" Cristina asked, noticing her friend was still in her surgical garb.

"Yes. Bailey let me be lead on a splenectomy."

"And how is that surgery exciting compared to the triple-bypass Dr. Altman and I just did?"

Teddy had been listening to the two residents and she hid her laugh behind her hand. As irritating as the scalpel hungry Yang could be, Teddy admired and encouraged her attitude.

"It was on an eight-year old boy."

"And that still – wait, it was on a kid? Why were you and Bailey doing it? Aren't those tiny humans strictly for Roller Girl?"

"Well, that's the exciting part." Meredith smiled like the proverbially cat that swallowed the canary.

Cristina set her chart down, "Okay, so what happened?"

"A patient's husband attacked Dr. Robbins and April, and then Dr. Dwyer went all 'Rambo' on him. There was blood everywhere."

Teddy's eyes shot up from the chart she had been reviewing.

"What happened, Grey?" the Cardio surgeon asked. "Was anyone hurt?"

"I don't know the details of what exactly happened, and I had to take my patient for pre-op before I could find out anything else. I think I heard talk that they were taking Dr. Robbins and Dr. Dwyer up for CT scans." She spotted her sister Lexie exiting the scrub room. "Lexie might know more."

"Dr. Grey!" Teddy called out. When the third-year resident didn't respond, Teddy tried again. "Lexie!"

"Yes, Dr. Altman?" the younger Grey said, spinning around.

"What happened down in the pit? How are Dr. Robbins and Dr. Dwyer?"

"Um, Derek's making them both stay overnight for observation. They've both got mild concussions. Dr. Robbins had seven stitches and Dr. Dwyer had twenty stitches."

"What the hell happened down there?" Teddy asked.

"Some very drunk, abusive husband of a patient pushed Dr. Robbins into a doorway and she split her head open. He was going to go after her again… and April, too… but Dr. Dwyer stopped him. That's when he headbutted her. I'm not sure how she did it, but Dr. Dwyer put him down to the floor. Do all soldiers know that kind of self-defense, Dr. Altman?"

"What rooms are they in?" Teddy asked, ignoring Lexie's question.

"320 and 322."

Teddy removed her scrub cap and gown. "Page me if you need me, Yang," she said heading off down the hall.

_What the hell really happened_? Teddy thought as she rode the elevator to the third floor. _Kayo attacked a patient's husband? Did she overreact because it was Arizona who was hurt? Christ! This is all getting a little too much like a soap opera for me_.

Teddy's first stop was Arizona's room. Her friend was on top of the covers on one of the beds. She was still wearing her scrub pants, but her matching scrub top had been replaced by a hospital gown. Arizona looked more annoyed than injured.

"So, I heard you had some excitement today," Teddy said, pulling over a chair beside the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." Arizona made no effort to mask her irritation. "I wish everyone would stop making such a big deal out of it."

"Concussions are nothing to take lightly."

"I'm fine, really. I can't believe Derek is making me stay overnight. I know it's hospital policy for getting hurt on the job, but really? I'm a doctor. I know what to watch out for. I can take care of myself."

"And frequently doctors make light of their own symptoms." Teddy smiled. "Look at it this way, Arizona. You can use the time to recover from your hangover."

"Ugh. Don't remind me," the Peds surgeon grumbled. "I'm pretty sure my headache is because of that and not the concussion."

"Again, doctors ignoring symptoms," Teddy repeated. "Hitting your head hard enough to need stitches probably has a lot to do with your headache."

"How's Kayo?" Arizona asked, brushing off her friend's comments.

"I haven't seen her yet."

"Everyone tells me she was pretty heroic."

Teddy raised an eyebrow. "You don't know what happened?"

"No. I don't remember much after hitting my head. Kepner and Lexie told me Kayo jumped right into the middle of it."

"Not surprising. Kayo always liked a good fight," Teddy said.

"You're not still mad at her, are you… about last night?"

"No, not really."

"Are you mad at me?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"You? No, of course not!" Teddy sensed something in Arizona's voice, that maybe she wanted to talk. "No, I'm not mad," she repeated. "Mostly I'm disappointed in both of you."

Arizona looked down at her hands, unable to meet her friend's eyes. "Teddy, I feel like my life is spinning out of control."

Teddy waited patiently for her friend to continue. She wasn't about to interrupt her. Arizona had never been big with the sharing of her own feelings. She'd gotten better at it recently, but Teddy frequently felt that Arizona always kept pieces of herself from everyone else.

"Nothing seems to be going the way I planned. Callie won't talk to me. All she does is yell at me or give me the cold shoulder." She picked at a thread on the hospital gown she'd been forced to put on. "Work… here at the hospital… I'm working for a man I detest."

Teddy couldn't argue with the last statement. Robert Stark was not a likeable man. She herself avoided him whenever she could. For Arizona – perky, friendly Arizona – to have to work under a man like Robert Stark… Teddy shuddered.

"And last night," Arizona continued, her voice lower. "Last night I got drunk. Drunker than I've been in a long, long time. I nearly did something really, really stupid." She took at deep breath. "I don't do those kind of things, Teddy! And today. I know better than to put myself in those kind of situations. Maybe if I hadn't been so hungover I would've read it better."

"Are you finished?" Teddy said, giving her friend a reassuring smile. The blonde nodded from her bed. "Arizona, you're trying too hard to fix everything all at once. I know for a control freak like you it's hard to accept that not everything happens according to your schedule; when you want it to. You need to take a deep breath and step back." She patted Arizona's leg affectionately. "Now might be a good time to start, while you have the downtime."

Teddy got up from the uncomfortable plastic chair. "Now I need to check on Kayo before my next surgery. I'll stop in later."

"Thanks, Teddy."

"No problem, Arizona." She squeezed Arizona's big toe. "That's what friends are for."

She left Arizona and immediately went into the room next door.

"All hail the conquering hero," she said to the Trauma surgeon. "You do know they don't give out purple hearts here."

"Bite me, Bear," Kayo retorted.

"No can do, Kayo. I think we've already established that," she smirked.

Kayo turned her head to face her friend.

"God, Kayo, what the hell happened?" Teddy blurted out. Kayo had a small line of stitches across her forehead and a smaller line across her swollen nose. A pair of black eyes had already started to form.

"Bastard headbutted me," she said with a trace of disgust in her voice.

"What did you do?"

"This asshole shoved Arizona and was going to go after her again and probably Kepner. I was closer than security, so I took care of it."

Teddy shook her head slowly. "How are you feeling?"

"I've got a buttfucker of a headache and some double vision." She made a face. "Shepherd's making me stay overnight."

"Well, maybe you can get them to give you something to make you sleep for the next twenty-four hours. God knows you could use the sleep."

"I suppose. How's Arizona?"

"Annoyed that she has to stay as well. She doesn't look as bad as you, obviously."

"Well, if I don't get a chance to see her, tell her I hope she feels better."

"I will."

April came into the room. Teddy wasn't sure, but it seemed like the resident was hovering around Kayo. She assumed it was gratitude if the stories she'd heard about what had happened were true.

"Can I get anything for you, Dr. Dwyer?"

"Coffee, black."

"Oh, I don't think you can have coffee right now, " April said almost apologetically. "But I'll doublecheck the chart."

"Crap. I could really use a coffee," Kayo muttered.

"Is there anything else? Another pillow, maybe?"

"I'm all set, Dr. Kepner. Maybe some company later would be nice."

"Oh, I can keep you company, Dr. Dwyer."

"Well, you're kinda too chirpy and perky for me, Kepner, but okay." Kayo moved over on her bed, making space. She patted the empty space beside her. "Hop up."

"Oh, Dr. Dwyer, I didn't know… I mean, I… don't…" the flustered resident stammered, her face reddening.

"Relax, Kepner. I'm just teasing you." Kayo laughed, then winced as the movement made her head hurt.

"Serves you right," Teddy said.

"I'll go check on that coffee," the embarrassed resident said, backing out of the room.

"You shouldn't tease her like that," Teddy said.

"I'm bored."

"Too bad."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Callie had seen Teddy go into Arizona's room so she waited and paced by the nurses' station. When Teddy emerged a short while later, Callie ducked, hiding from the Cardio surgeon. She knew she'd promised Bailey she wouldn't talk to Arizona until she knew for certain if she was pregnant or not, but she really needed to see Arizona; she wanted to make sure she was all right.

The Ortho surgeon took a deep breath before pushing the door open. Arizona was lying on the bed, looking up at the ceiling. Seeing Arizona on a hospital bed brought an unexpected pain to Callie's heart.

"Arizona?" she asked, her voice timid.

Arizona sighed. The last person she wanted to see right now was Callie. The way her head was pounding she doubted she could take another round of yelling. "What, Callie?"

"I wanted to see –"

"Are you here to tell me about my patient?"

"Well, yes and –"

"How is he?"

The curtness of Arizona's questions, the way she kept cutting her off didn't irritate Callie. It just made her sad.

"He'll be fine. I repaired his arm. It'll be good as new. Bailey removed his spleen and he's doing really well."

"Good."

"Arizona…" Callie said, taking a step closer.

"Callie, no. We aren't going to talk. Not now."

"Please, Arizona."

"No." Arizona pulled the sheet up. "You made if very clear that there were three things you wanted me to do, Dr. Torres. Well, I'm not going back to Malawi, okay? And getting my crap out of the apartment? That's not going to happen any time soon, if ever. Getting out of your face? Well, that I can do." She rolled over so she faced the wall. "Please leave."

"Arizona, I just…"

"Just wanted to yell at me some more? Sorry, Dr. Torres, but I have enough of a headache as it is. I don't need you to make it worse."

"I'm sorry," Callie said softly. "I just wanted to apologize for yelling at you. I shouldn't have been treating you like that and I'm sorry." Callie opened the door to leave. "I hope you're okay, Arizona."

Before Arizona could reply, Callie left. Arizona was stunned. Having Callie apologize was the last thing she had expected.


	12. Another Chance

**Nothing Comes Easily by captstarbuck**

**An old friend and a new friend helps Arizona. **

**AN: This is, for the most part, Calzona, but Arizona-centric, with lots of other Grey's characters. It's slightly AU/Mostly Canon. This starts just before Arizona returns from Africa and varies a bit in the story of bringing them back together. Let's just say I bend the timeline and modify a few scenes to suit my own purposes.**

**AN: Continued thanks to my betareader, Stacy, who's 'keeping me honest'. And again, a special shout out to pens_co927 for the 'super' ideas and general support.**

**Disclaimers – All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual. (I don't own any of the characters from Grey's Anatomy. All of that belongs to Shondaland et al. I just wanted to take them out and play)**

Chapter Twelve – Another Chance

Miranda Bailey waited until she saw Callie go into the Attendings' locker room before she herself marched into the room. Hands fisted on her hips, she stood in front of the Ortho surgeon and waited. For someone small in stature, Bailey was imposing, and the look she was giving Callie made the Latina squirm under the scrutiny.

"Well?" Bailey asked when the room was empty.

"What?"

"Are you or aren't you?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know? There are only two results to the test – yes or no."

"I didn't take the test," Callie stammered. "I got the kit but… I just couldn't do it."

Callie didn't need to tell Bailey that she'd spent most of the night wrestling with the decision. Despite the mile of pacing she'd done in Mark's apartment, she still hadn't been able to do it when morning came.

"Torres, you get your butt into the bathroom and pee on that stick right now!"

"Bailey, what if I am?"

"Then you… we… deal with it then. Until you know for sure," Bailey's voice softened a shade, "you'll be driving yourself crazy." Shocking both women, Bailey put her hand on Callie's shoulder. "You need to do this. You can't decide anything until you do."

Callie nodded, then reached into her purse for the kit. She hesitated.

"I'll stand guard. Go pee."

"And then?"

"And then we wait," Bailey said.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Teddy pushed open the door to her friend's room. Kayo was sitting up, repeatedly pressing the remote control to the television.

"Goddamnit," she swore. "What kind of hospital doesn't get SportsCenter?"

"Well, I've got something that might make you feel better," Teddy said, setting a large paper bag on the chair.

"You brought me that nurse from derm?" Kayo waggled her eyebrows lasciviously.

"You're a pig," Teddy said her tone both disapproving and teasing at the same time. "No, I brought you something even better," she continued, setting a beverage caddy holding three large cups of coffee and three juices on the small table beside Kayo's bed.

"Coffee?" Kayo said eagerly. "I love you, Theodora Altman." Kayo smiled and reached for one of the large cups.

"How are you feeling?" Teddy asked, popping the lid off her own cup.

"Better. Still have a headache." Kayo sipped from the cup. "Probably caffeine withdrawal."

"How'd you sleep?"

"Like death. I totally zonked out. Painkillers must've been a little too strong." She looked at Teddy with suspicion. "I don't suppose you know anything about that?"

"Nope," Teddy lied. There was no way she was going to tell Kayo that she'd almost begged Derek to up Kayo's pain meds. She knew Kayo was sorely needing a good night's sleep and the only way she knew Kayo would sleep was if she was drugged.

"What's in the bag?" Kayo asked.

"Breakfast," Teddy said with a wide smile. "From our favorite deli."

Kayo hopped off the bed. Fighting the small wave of dizziness that came from standing, she walked the few steps over to the chair.

"Awesome," Kayo said, opening the bag.

"Awesome?" Teddy's eyes widened in surprise. She'd never heard Kayo say that before. "Did you just say _awesome_?"

"Coffee and breakfast from Nicky's? That's the definition of awesome."

"Since when do you… oh, never mind. You're spending way too much time with Arizona. Either that, or your head injury is worse than we thought." _And I swear if I hear a "yay" from Kayo, I'm going to wheel her to neurology myself and have Derek re-run the tests._

"Well, if you had to eat the crap they tried to pass off as dinner last night, you'd think so, too."

Knowing how bad the hospital's food could be, Teddy couldn't argue with Kayo's logic. "I got three breakfast sandwiches on toasted bagels, bananas, apples and a few donuts for later."

"You da bomb, Bear." Kayo said. She threw an arm across Teddy's shoulders. "I know you're straight, Bear, but I could just kiss you." The Trauma surgeon grinned. "Screw it," she said, pulling the Cardio surgeon closer. She turned her head and planted a noisy, wet kiss on her friend's cheek.

"Yuck." Teddy made a face while simultaneously pushing her friend away and wiping her cheek.

"Got enough for Arizona?" Kayo asked, ignoring Teddy's reaction to the sloppy kiss.

"Sure did."

"Let's go see her, see how she's doing," Kayo suggested, closing the bag.

"Uh, Kayo, aren't you supposed to be resting?"

"It's only next door, Bear. Besides, Arizona's probably lonely."

"I don't know, Kayo. It's probably not a good idea."

Kayo ignored her friend's indecision and grabbed the bag of food. "Coming, Bear? And don't forget the drinks."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Arizona hadn't slept well the night before. She couldn't get comfortable and she had tossed and turned. She'd finally given in and had asked for something to help her sleep. She wasn't happy with that decision, but she had really, _really_ needed some sleep.

If she was honest with herself, it wasn't the bed, or even her headache. It was all the thinking. She hadn't been able to turn her brain off. Her thoughts were all over the place… Callie, her conversation with Teddy… even what had happened… or hadn't… with Kayo. _Teddy's right. I need to figure out what to do. Should I even try anymore with Callie? I still love her, and I can't… don't want to… imagine a life without her. She did apologize yesterday, but has she forgiven me?_

The door swung open and she was surprised to see Kayo followed by Teddy. She took in the stitches on Kayo's face and the matching black eyes.

"Oh, Kayo, I'm so sorry," she apologized.

"What? Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything," Kayo said, setting the bag down on the Arizona's bed.

"If I hadn't – "

"No. No apologies, Arizona." Kayo cut her off.

"We have breakfast and coffee." Teddy set the drinks on the small tray beside Arizona's bed. "How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Bored. I am so ready to get out of here."

"Do you know when Derek will be by?" Teddy asked, handing Arizona a cup of coffee.

"Soon, I hope." Arizona took a sip of the coffee and sighed. "God, that's good." She turned to Kayo. "How are you feeling?"

"Okay. Just a little headache," Kayo replied, leaning against the bed.

"What you did, Kayo…"

"It was nothing." Kayo waved her hand dismissively. "Done with. Over. No more discussion."

Teddy opened the bag and distributed the breakfast sandwiches.

"If you're a good girl, Arizona, and finish your breakfast, there're donuts for later," Teddy teased. "We all know how you _love_ those donuts."

"Very funny, Teddy," Arizona said, unwrapping her bagel.

The three women at their breakfast mostly in silence. Occasionally they shared tibits of hospital gossip and Teddy talked briefly about the surgeries she'd done with Yang the day before.

Next door, April Kepner had found Kayo's room empty. Hearing voices in the adjacent room, she assumed that was where she could find Dr. Dwyer. She was surprised to see the Trauma surgeon standing by Dr. Robbins' bed, a cup of coffee in her hand.

"Dr. Dwyer, what are you doing out of bed?" she blurted.

"Excuse me?"

"You're supposed to remain in bed until Dr. Shepherd releases you."

"Dr. Kepner, I assure you I'm fine."

"You need to get back to bed."

"You want me in bed? Fine." Kayo turned to Arizona. "Move over, Robbins," she said, nudging the blonde

Arizona was a little confused, but did as Kayo asked. Kayo hopped up onto Arizona's bed, stretching out her long legs and leaning back against the pillow.

"Satisifed, Dr. Kepner?" she said, folding her hands behind her head. "I'm in bed."

"What… I… I don't think that's what Dr. Shepherd had in mind."

"Why are you even here?" Kayo asked curiously. "I'm not a surgical case."

"I… I brought you some coffee," April said, her cheeks turning a bright pink. "Black, right?"

"Yes, thanks. Just set it down with the others."

"I'll be going now," April said after she'd set the cup down. "And you really should be in your own bed."

"I don't like sleeping alone," Kayo quipped, causing the young resident's face to turn even redder as she hurried from the room.

"What was that all about?" Arizona asked from her side of the bed.

"Oh, Kepner's got a crush on Kayo," Teddy explained. "And you really need to stop teasing her, Kayo."

"She doesn't have a crush on me, Bear."

"I'm not saying it's a _romantic_ crush, Kayo. It's more like a… like a mild case of hero-worship."

"Yeah, right," Kayo muttered. "I'm nobody's hero. A hero doesn't…" Kayo's voice trailed off as she shook her head. She crumpled up the empty wrapper and tossed it into the wastebasket.

Arizona caught Teddy's eye and they exchanged a confused look.

"Thanks for the _awesome_ breakfast, Bear," Kayo said with a smirk, her moodiness apparently gone.

"Anytime, Kayo. I know you'd do the same for me."

Once Arizona finished her bagel sandwich, she leaned across Kayo to snag the paper bag. She was ready for a donut. Kayo's eyes instinctively raked across Arizona's back which had been partially exposed by her hospital gown being twisted by the movement. She looked up to see Teddy scowling at her. She gave the Cardio surgeon a sheepish grin and a shrug of her shoulders as if to say 'I'm only human'.

"Hold it, don't move," said a voice from the doorway. "I don't want you to ruin a perfectly good fantasy."

"Mark!" Teddy scolded.

Donut in hand, Arizona quickly moved back to 'her' side of the bed.

"What are you doing here, Sloan?" Kayo asked.

"I'm here to follow up on my patients." He gave them a slight leer. "I can always come back if you're too _busy_,"

"Oh, for fuck's sake, Sloan, grow up." Kayo said, getting off the bed. Kayo grabbed the cup of coffee that April had left for her. "C'mon, Bear. My headache's coming back."

"You're next, Dwyer, so don't go crawling off into bed with another patient," Mark called after the two doctors.

"Mark, don't be such a jerk," Arizona reprimanded him.

"I'm serious, Robbins. I want to check my handiwork," he said, positioning his tall frame so that he could look at Arizona's wound.

"Mark?"

"What?"

"Stop trying to looking down my gown."

"I'm not," he sputtered, clearly embarrassed that he'd been caught. _Does she have eyes in the back of her head?_

"Oh, please," she said, rolling her eyes and folding her arms across her chest. "I know you, Sloan."

"Looks good," he said after a moment of inspecting the stitches. "You won't even have a scar."

"Thank you."

He pulled the chair closer to her bed and sat down. "So, how yah doing, blondie?" he asked.

"I'd be doing a lot better if Derek would sign the release."

"He'll be by in a little while."

"He'd better."

Mark grabbed the bag that was still sitting on Arizona's bed. He reached in and took out an apple. He shined it up on his white lab coat before biting into it.

"Is there a reason you're still here, Mark?"

"I thought you could use some company. And as tempting as the idea is, _I_ won't crawl into bed with you."

Arizona rolled her eyes and sighed in disgust. "Don't you have some other patients to check on?"

"Yes, but I thought you could use a friend right now."

"I have friends."

"Some friends you got there, Robbins," he said, still snacking on the apple. "I'll give you Altman. She's always been your friend; your best friend. But GI Jane? I'd watch out for her, if I were you."

"Kayo has been nothing but a good friend to me."

"Uh huh. Like I believe that one," he snorted.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, c'mon. You can't think I'm that stupid."

"Mark, there's nothing going on between Kayo and I."

"I mean, you used to be a player, Robbins," he said, ignoring her response. "I know all about your pre-Torres conquests. Even if Callie doesn't," he added.

Arizona cringed, embarrassed that Mark knew about her past dalliances.

"That's in the past, Mark. There's been nobody else but Callie since then."

"Well, I'm keeping an eye on GI Jane. She's definitely more of a player than you ever were. I don't trust her."

"You're one to talk, _manwhore_."

"Just calling 'em like I see 'em."

Mark got up and tossed the apple core into the wastebasket.

Arizona glared at him for a few moments, then reached into the bag for another donut. She reconsidered the man sitting beside her bed. As irritating and annoying as he could be, he was also Callie's best friend. Maybe the way back to her was indirectly through him.

"You want to be my friend, Mark?" she asked, holding out the bag to him.

"I thought I was."

"Why? What's in it for you?"

"Look, Robbins, you two are miserable without each other. You belong together." He reached into the bag and took out the last donut. "And Torres does not belong on my sofa."

"Then tell me what I can do. Tell me what I have to say for Callie to give me another chance. I've apologized, told her I love her. She won't listen to me."

Mark took a bite out the donut and chewed, seeming to be deep in thought. Arizona resisted the urge to sigh out loud as she waited for him to reply.

"You bail," he said simply.

"What?"

"You bail. When things get tough, you bail."

"I do not." Arizona was indignant.

"Sure you do. Instead of trying to work out babygate, you bailed. The Treacher Collins patient? The crazy girl who wasn't really crazy? Both times, you bailed. Africa… you bailed. And now Callie gets a little angry, you bail."

"A littte angry? She can't even talk to me without yelling."

"Did she yell at you yesterday when she came by your room?" Arizona remained silent. "Well, did she?"

"No."

"No. As a matter of fact, she left your room in tears."

"What?" That surprised the blonde. _Callie was crying?_

"Yeah. What did you say to her?"

"She wants me out of her face, Mark. That's what she told me." Arizona sighed. "I love her, Mark, but I don't think I can take any more of her rejection."

"She's hurting."

"I know that," Arizona sighed. "But so am I."

"And she's scared."

"Of what?"

"She's afraid to let you back into her life because she's afraid you'll leave her again."

"I came back, Mark! I'm not going anywhere."

"Then tell her that."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"It's time," Miranda Bailey said after looking at her watch.

"I can't look. You do it." Callie's knee bounced up and down, and she chewed on a dark blue fingernail.

"Torres…"

"Please, Bailey."

"Fine, give me the damn stick," she answered, taking it from the Latina. "Do I have to do everything for you? I'm surprised you didn't make me pee on the stick."

"Well?" Callie asked, fearful regardless of the result.

"It's positive. You're pregnant."

_Pregnant? I'm pregnant?_ A small smile crossed Callie's face_. I'm going to have a baby!_ The initial joy of discovering her pregnancy soon crashed into the reality. _I'm pregnant, and it's Mark's. It's not… oh, God, what am I going to tell Arizona? _She gasped, putting her hand to her chest.

"Torres? Torres, are you okay?"

"What do I do now, Bailey?" Callie softly wailed.

"Do you want this baby?"

"Yes. Yes, of course I do. I've always wanted a baby."

"Then want do you want to do? You've got many options. Raise the baby alone, raise the baby with Sloan – he _is_ the father, isn't he?" Bailey couldn't discount the Plastic surgeon's skills as a doctor, but she found his behavior to be juvenile at best and detestable at worst.

Callie nodded once. "Yes."

"You could raise the baby with Robbins." Bailey took a deep breath. "Or raise the baby with Sloan _and_ Robbins."

"It wasn't supposed to be like this, Bailey. Arizona and I… it was supposed to Arizona and I having a baby… together."

"Life frequently doesn't work out the way we plan, Callie." Bailey fought the urge to roll her eyes. _Why do I get myself involved with all this personal business… all this drama_?

"You need to decide, Torres. And you need to decide soon."

Callie's pager went off. She glanced down at it and frowned.

"I have to go. 911 to the pit," she said, standing up.

"Torres… Callie… you can do this."

"I know, I know, Bailey. It's just not how I ever planned it." She opened the door, then turned back. "Thanks, Miranda."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Derek had been called into surgery so Arizona had to wait even longer to be released. She had tried browbeating an intern, and then a resident into signing the release, but none of them caved. She was going stir-crazy, and it didn't help that Mark's words kept playing over and over in her head like a broken record. _"You bail. When things get tough, you bail."_ She didn't want to ever admit Mark was right about anything, but now she wasn't so sure. _I'm not a quitter, am I? Did I give up too soon on Callie? She has every right to be mad. I left her in an airport. I humiliated her. _Arizona groaned_. God, could things be any more fucked up than they are now?_

"Is that groan from pain, Dr. Robbins?" Derek asked as he came into the room.

"No. Boredom," Arizona easily lied.

"Well, let's see what we can do to get you out of here," he said, opening the chart.

He did a quick neuro-check, and as expected, didn't find any problems. He scribbled into the chart, then closed it.

"You're good to go. I suppose I don't need to tell you about follow-up?"

"No. I know what to watch out for."

"Good. Take it easy. Avoid surgery for another day or two."

"What? Derek, I've already missed two days."

"And another day won't be the end of the world. You can still consult and chart, but no surgery."

The dreaded word 'chart' caused Arizona to roll her eyes and grimace.

"I want to make sure there are no residual effects from the concussion. It'd be better to find out when you're not in the OR."

"Fine," she huffed. "I can go back to work now, other than surgery?"

"Yes." He smiled. "You may want to wear something other than a hospital gown, though. You could confuse your patients."

"Funny."

"I'll have a nurse bring you some fresh scrubs."

Half an hour later, Arizona was freshly showered and wearing clean scrubs. She looked into Kayo's room to see if she'd been released as well, but Kayo was sound asleep. She decided against waking her friend and continued down the hall.

She ran into Teddy as the lanky Cardio surgeon emerged from the locker room.

"You're out!" Teddy greeted her friend. "How do you feel?"

"Better, but no surgery today or tomorrow. Did you know Kayo hasn't been released?"

"Yes, she sent me a text. Derek is holding her for a few more hours. She's still got some minor double-vision and a headache that just won't quit."

"Is she okay?"

"I think so. Derek's just being cautious. He'll release her later today, I'm sure. I'll stick around and then take her home. I imagine she'll be held out of surgery longer than you."

The two women walked down the hall together.

"Are you working now?" Teddy asked.

"Just checking on some patients." Arizona made a face. "And get caught up on charts. I won't be working late, that's for sure."

"You want to stay with us tonight?"

"No, thanks anyway. I think I need some time by myself right now."

"Understood," Teddy said, squeezing her friend's arm. "I've got surgery in fifteen. Text me if you need anything… food… talk…"

"I will, Teddy. And thanks."

"No problem, Arizona. Catch you later," Teddy called out as strode off toward the scrub room.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Much as she didn't want to admit it, Derek had been right. She really wasn't ready to get back into an OR today… or even tomorrow. Seeing her patients hadn't been too difficult, but the charting had made her eyes tired and brought about the return of her headache. She couldn't complain too much however. Aside from the headache, both had provided her with enough of a distraction to get her through the end of her shift.

As she changed out of her scrubs, Arizona couldn't help but think again about what Mark had said. _Am I bailing again? Have I really done everything I can? Does Callie really think I'd leave again? Maybe I should just try to talk to her tonight, give it one more chance. And if it doesn't work tonight?_ Arizona's shoulders slumped momentarily before she squared them. _Then I'll try tomorrow. And the day after that._

She closed her locker door and headed toward the elevators. She spotted Callie entering one and Arizona made a split second decision. _No time like the present. Suck it up and say something. Now's your chance. _

Arizona darted into the elevator just as the doors began to close. She turned and faced the woman she'd never stopped loving, and probably never would stop loving.

Callie eyed her warily, but without the previous anger and animosity. 

"I bail, okay?" Arizona blurted, her words coming in a rush. "When things get hard I walk away. And maybe it's because I grew up an Army brat and we moved every eighteen months. Maybe I never learned to commit. But I'm here now, and I'm staying, because I'm gonna fight to make sure you know I'm committed to this thing. I'm… I'm not perfect, but neither are you. You… you want to talk about faults? How about not being able to forgive? At some point you're going to have to forgive me. And it may as well be now, because I am in love with you, Calliope, and you are in love with me. And all I'm asking for is one more chance."

For the first time since the blonde had entered the elevator, Callie turned and faced her. "You want another chance?" the Latina asked.

Hope surged through Arizona's heart. "Yes, more than anything I want another chance."

"Today I found out that I'm pregnant with Mark's baby. How about now?"

Arizona felt as if all the air had left the room. All she heard was a faint roar in her ears. Did she really hear what she just heard?

"What?"

"I'm pregnant," Callie repeated. "And it's Mark's."

"What? What did you say?"

"Arizona?"

_Pregnant? Callie's pregnant? It's Mark's? Oh, God that means… she slept with Mark? She had sex with Mark? I'm not the last person to touch her?_

"Oh, God… I'm gonna… I'm gonna…"

As soon as the door slid open, Arizona flew out of the elevator. She sprinted to the nearest trash can and emptied her stomach.

Callie quickly followed Arizon. She stepped behind her, gently pulling the blonde hair back as Arizona continued to vomit. She saw the tiny stitches in the back of Arizona's head and her breath hitched once. The doctor in her briefly wondered if Arizona throwing up had anything to do with her concussion. That thought left as quickly as it came. Callie knew her words, what she'd told the blonde was causing her to be sick.

When there was nothing left to throw up and the dry heaves had finally stopped, Arizona straightened, her face full of shock and hurt.

"Are you okay?" Callie asked, her hand on Arizona's arm.

Arizona looked at Callie in disbelief. _Okay? How can she ask me that? Could she have possibly told me anything more shocking? Is there anything else in the world that could hurt me more?_

"Okay? Okay?" Arizona took a step back, shrugging Callie's hand away. "No, Callie, I'm not okay."

"Do you want to talk?" Callie persisted.

"Yes… no… not right now. I need to think." Arizona ran a hand through her hair. "I need to think," she said again.

She took a closer look at the Latina. There were tears in Callie's eyes and fear etched into her face.

"I'm not walking away, Calliope… not right now. I just need… I need some time."

"Okay." Callie took some comfort in Arizona's use of 'Calliope'.

"Have you… have you told Mark?"

"Not yet."

"You need to tell him. Before we talk."

"Arizona…"

"Callie, please. I can't… I can't talk to you right now."

Arizona turned and walked away from Callie. She fought back the tears as she pushed through the doors and out of the hospital. Callie felt her chest tighten. Was this happening again? Was another blue-eyed blonde going to walk out of the hospital and out of her life?


	13. Are You In?

Nothing Comes Easily by captstarbuck

**AN: This is, for the most part, Calzona, but Arizona-centric, with lots of other Grey's characters, especially Arizona's friendship with Teddy. It's slightly AU/Mostly Canon – Starts just before Arizona returns from Africa and varies a bit in the story of bringing them back together. Let's just say I bend the timeline and modify a few scenes to suit my own purposes.**

**AN2: Thanks again to Stacy, my beta reader who continues to do an "awesome" job. Also a special thanks to ****pens_co927**** for the great suggestions and ideas. I'm beginning to think I should add you as co-author sometimes.**

**Disclaimers – ****All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual. (****I don't own any of the characters from Grey's Anatomy. All of that belongs to Shondaland et al. I just wanted to take them out and play)**

Chapter Thirteen – Are You In?

Arizona left the hospital in a daze. The next thing she knew she was standing in the middle of the living room with no real recollection of walking home. She couldn't even remember if she'd taken the elevator or climbed the stairs. She only had a vague memory of the sound of tires squealing, a horn blasting and someone cursing at her.

She dropped her purse on the floor and immediately went into the kitchen. She was grateful to find a nearly full bottle of white wine. _It is going to be one of those nights_, she thought as she poured herself a large glass.

_Callie's pregnant. And it's Mark's,_ she thought, draining half the glass of wine in one swallow. _Pregnant!_ Of all the things she'd been prepared to hear, expected to happen, that scenario had never once entered her mind.

"Son of a bitch!" she swore out loud. She resisted the urge to throw her glass across the room.

She was surprised at the depth of her anger and as she paced, her anger increased. Even that action was making her angry. Pacing usually helped her to calm down. Now it just seemed to fuel her anger. She finished her glass of wine and instantly refilled it.

_What am I going to do? I told Callie I wouldn't bail, that I wanted another chance. But this? Raising Mark Sloan's baby? I don't know if I can do that. I love Callie, but do I love her enough to get past how angry and hurt I am?_

She stopped pacing and leaned against the breakfast bar. _Oh, God, how could this be happening? How could Callie have done this to me?_ Tears started to slowly slide down the blonde's cheeks. _This really hurts. This hurts more than… more than even finding Meg in bed with that bastard Gary_. _Some friend he'd turned out to be… God, this is it all over again, isn't it? I didn't discover Callie in bed with Mark, but it won't be long until evidence of their actions will be obvious. God, that fucking Mark Sloan!_

She finished her second glass of wine and quickly poured another. She rummaged through her purse until she found a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. Knowing there were no ashtrays in the apartment, she pulled an empty tuna fish can out of the trash. Rinsing it out, she made do with her makeshift ashtray.

Lighting her cigarette and inhaling deeply eased some of the tension she felt. She carried the wine bottle, her glass and her 'ashtray' over to the coffee table. She quietly puffed on her cigarette while contemplating making a call to Teddy or her parents. _No, that's a bad idea. Not until I know what I'm going to do_, she thought.

She put her feet up on the coffee table and couldn't help but grow wistful for a moment. The sturdy coffee table was the first piece of furniture she and Callie had bought together. The old one hadn't been strong enough to withstand some of their more vigorous activities. Recalling what they'd been doing when the old one broke brought a satisfied smirk to the blonde's face, then a grimace as she wondered if they'd ever have 'sexy times' again.

_I can't help it. I can't stop loving Callie even if I wanted to. And it hurts not knowing if she even loves me anymore._

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Callie was surprised to find the door unlocked. She supposed it was an indication of Arizona's state of mind; that, and the smell of cigarette smoke that still lingered in the air. She noticed one empty wine bottle and a nearly empty bottle sitting beside an empty glass on the breakfast bar. All signs were now pointing to a stressed-out, unhappy Peds surgeon.

"Are you ready to talk now?" she asked tentatively.

When Arizona wouldn't even turn around to look at her, Callie felt a sense of dread come over her. _Maybe this is it_, she thought. _Maybe this is what breaks us for good._

"I want to say some not nice things and I want you to listen without thinking our relationship is over or I'm walking out," the blonde said, struggling to keep her anger in control.

"Okay."

"I'm mad that you slept with someone else. And I know that we were broken up but still you… slept with someone else. And I'm even madder that that person has a penis. And I know that you're bisexual. I know that –"

"Would you rather I'd slept with the busty redhead…" Or a tall Trauma surgeon Callie thought but didn't say aloud. She still had her doubts about Arizona's friendship with GI Jane, but now wasn't the time to discuss it.

"And I'm really angry that it was Mark!" Arizona continued, ignoring Callie's remark. She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself, but it wasn't working. "You have to give me a chance to process this, okay? I'm processing."

"I didn't plan this, okay?" Callie moved over and sat down in the chair facing her former girlfriend. "I didn't plan any of it. There's a… mighty oak or whatever showing up in our lives in about seven months, so now I have to plan. And I don't know how long I can wait for you to process this."

Arizona exhaled deeply.

"But I want you in my plans. I want you to be a part of my plan. So… are you in or are you out?"

"In your plan? What does that mean? As a doctor, as the godmother, as the cool aunt? What?"

"In my plan as in you're with me… as the other mother. Like we had talked about before… before Africa."

"And Mark? Where is he in your plan?"

"He's in."

"As what exactly?" Arizona's tone of voice implied that she thought maybe Mark would be more than just Callie's friend, more than just a father.

"The baby's daddy. Nothing more. God, Arizona! How could you even think that?"

"Well forgive me for asking," she said tersely. "He _is_ the reason you're pregnant."

"It was the one time. It's not like we planned to make a baby."

"Of course you didn't, but YOU ARE BOTH DOCTORS, Callie! Did it ever occur to either of you to use protection? You had sex with the hospital's manwhore. Did you think about STDs? Have you been tested?"

"Arizona!"

"I'm serious, Callie. Have you?"

"No, not yet."

"You need to and you need to soon." Arizona shook her head in disbelief. "Just the one time? Why? Why did you feel the need to fuck Mark Sloan of all people?"

Callie was a little taken aback at Arizona's language. Arizona almost never resorted to swearing. Hell, she never even used those words in the throes of passion. Her using the word 'fuck' only added to Callie's fears.

"I was… we were both really drunk… and I was sad and…"

"I swear, Callie," Arizona interrupted, "don't you dare tell me you slept with Mark because you missed me. Angry at me, getting back at me in some perverse way, I might understand that. But missing me? No. Don't you ever tell me that."

"Arizona, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I slept with Mark. I'm _not_ sorry I'm pregnant. I was, for a few minutes," she admitted. "I actually was sorry. But I'm not now. I want a baby. Yes, this is not how I planned it. It was supposed to be us, you and I. Didn't you ever understand that? I didn't just want a baby. I wanted a baby _with you_."

"And now you're going to have one, now you're going to get your dream." She lifted her tear-stained face and looked at Callie. "I love you, Calliope, and I'm sure I can love this baby. But you have to understand, this wasn't my plan. This wasn't how _my_ plan was supposed to go."

Arizona reached for a tissue, wiped her cheeks, then added it to the pile of tissues on the coffee table. Callie observed her in silence. She knew Arizona wasn't one to shed tears easily (except for that weird authority-issue thing she had) so she was just a bit surprised to see the number of used tissues. The blonde must have been crying most of the night before or all morning.

"You're asking me to agree to a lifetime with… Mark. A lifetime of decisions. Bottle or sippy cup, basketball or tap, Dartmouth or Berkeley, Christmas morning with Mark. I never picked him and I don't hate him, but I don't want a life with him. And yet, somehow, that's what I'm going to get."

"What am I supposed to do? Tell him he can't be a part of it? I mean, it's his kid, too."

"Yeah, you don't need to remind me of that. I'll never, ever forget it."

"Arizona…"

"Okay, can we just be honest that this is some bi dream come true? I mean, you get the woman you love, and the guy best friend who's also a great lay and then you get this baby. You get it all. And me? This is not my dream. _My_ dream doesn't look like this."

Callie cautiously moved over to the sofa, but still kept an uneasy distance from the blonde.

"What do you want, Arizona?"

"Do you love me? Or are you just asking me to be a part of your plan because you don't want to be alone?"

"Arizona, of course I do. What kind of question is that?"

"I think it's a pretty reasonable question to ask. Since I've been back, I haven't heard you tell me that once. So I'm asking you again. Do. You. Still. Love. Me?"

"I never stopped loving you, Arizona. Even when I was so angry and hurt that you left me, I still loved you. I love you and I want you with me." She edged a little closer to Arizona, her hand resting uncertainly in the gap between them. "So, are you in?"

"I'm in… I'm in. But you have to give me… I'm just… I'm still so mad at you. You have to give me a minute."

"Okay. Do you want to talk more about this later?"

"Yes, yes, I can do that. Just… just not right now."

"After work?"

Arizona nodded her reply.

"I have to get to the hospital," Callie said, rising from the sofa, her tone apologetic. "Maybe we can meet for lunch?"

"Maybe."

As Callie walked to the door, she hesitated, her hand wavering above Arizona's head. She wanted to make some sort of contact with Arizona, but knew she couldn't. Not yet. "I do love you, Arizona," she said softly before she left the apartment.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Arizona took Teddy's arm and pulled her away from the nurses' station toward a more private area.

"You really aren't interested in my day at all, are you?" Teddy asked.

"I might be having Mark Sloan's baby."

"Oh, good Lord, he got to you, too?" Teddy couldn't hide the look of horror on her face.

Arizona was momentarily baffled by Teddy's response. "Callie's pregnant with Mark's baby. It's while we were… you know. I love Callie and Mark's… y'know… human. He's both pretty and… smart. And I want to have a baby, but with Callie. I'm not sure that I want to have Callie's kid with Mark. Can you say anything that will make me want to have Callie's kid with Mark?"

Teddy was a little shocked, and a bit overwhelmed with the words that rushed out of Arizona. Before she could answer, the familiar beeping sound of a pager interrupted her. Both doctors looked down at the devises clipped to their waists.

"I… I gotta go," Arizona said. She opened her mouth as if to say more, but the pager took priority. She gestured to Teddy before hurrying down the hallway.

"I think you're nuts," Teddy whispered to herself.

The Cardio surgeon stood in the hallway for a moment, stunned, her mind reeling from what her friend had just told her. Was Arizona back with Callie? When did that happen? How did it happen? What the hell was going on?

"Something the matter, Bear?" Kayo asked. She'd seen her friend standing in the hallway with a shocked look on her face.

"What? Oh, Kayo, hi."

"You look rattled."

"I… uh… "

Did she dare tell Kayo? She knew Kayo wouldn't be upset with Arizona getting back together with Callie. Despite some of Kayo's more recent actions (a partially-clad Arizona in Kayo's bed immediately came to mind), she'd made it clear that she would do whatever it took to bring the couple back together. As long as it was what Arizona wanted, Kayo was behind her. But a baby? Mark Sloan's baby in the mix? She really wasn't sure how Kayo would feel about that.

"Bear, what's wrong? Kayo was now seriously concerned for her friend. "Is something wrong?"

"We need to talk."

"You're scaring me, Bear."

"Not here," she said, taking Kayo's arm and dragging her down the hallway. She pulled her into an on-call room and shut the door behind them.

Kayo leaned back against the wall and waited for her friend to speak. Teddy paced for a minute, then stopped, her hand going to her forehead. "I need to tell you something and I'm not sure how."

"Bear, you know you can tell me anything."

"I need you to listen to me and not get all Rambo and angry and protective." She looked pointedly at Kayo. "Promise me."

"I promise, I promise. What's wrong, Bear?"

"I'm pretty sure Arizona and Callie are back together."

Kayo grinned. "That's great news. Arizona must be thrilled. When did that happen? Torres finally came to her senses, huh?" Confusion then crossed her face. "Why would I be angry? What aren't you telling me, Bear?"

"Callie's pregnant."

"What? How?" Kayo's face curled into a scowl. "Does Arizona know?"

"Yes, Arizona knows. It's Mark Sloan's kid."

"What the fuck, Bear!" Kayo swore, trying to keep her anger in check. "Has Arizona lost her mind? She agreed to this… this… what do we call it? A fucked up situation is all that comes to my mind."

"Yes, she agreed to it, but I think she's still unsure."

"Well, we need to –"

"We don't need to do anything but support Arizona in whatever decision she makes, no matter how we feel about it."

"You're okay with this, Bear?"

"I think she's crazy to agree to it, but it's not my decision. If it's what she wants, then that's how it will be." A stern look came to Teddy's face. "And you, my friend, will do nothing and say nothing."

"But –"

"Not one word, Kayo, or I swear I'll beat the tar out of you."

"Fine," Kayo said, her arms folded across her chest.

"I mean it, Kayo."

"I promise."

"Yeah, well, let's hope this promise works a little better than your last one."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

For the third time that day, Arizona was paged to the OB-GYN exam room. The first time she had been worried. Callie was bleeding and the mother-to-be had every right to be nervous. Of course Callie's first reaction would be to think it was a miscarriage. It had been the blonde's initial reaction as well. And now, despite repeated reassurances from the young doctor after the ultrasound, Arizona was being paged yet again.

She knew Lucy Fields was trying, but she _was_ young and Arizona wondered if she was experienced enough to deal with one scared, hormonal Calliope Torres. Arizona had her own doubts about herself dealing with Callie. The Peds surgeon had been trying all day to resolve her own fears and uneasiness over the whole situation. She still wasn't comfortable with it, and it was hard to connect with Callie while Mark was standing next to her every single time they met with Dr. Fields.

She moved closer to Callie, blocking Mark as the Neonatal specialist wheeled in a different ultrasound.

"Now this is the hardcore machine; highest resolution there is," she explained. "Now it's almost impossible to get a heartbeat before the eighth week, even with this thing. In fact, I don't even have moms come into until the eighth week. Because they come in, they don't see a heartbeat and they freak out and camp out on my exam table all day. But since you've already camped out here all day it can't hurt to have another look, right?"

Arizona had to give the younger woman credit. She managed to sound reassuring without being condescending. The Peds surgeon knew Lucy must've been frustrated with Callie's unwillingness to leave the exam room. Arizona herself was even growing a little frustrated with Callie, and Mark seemed to be playing right into her mood.

She wondered again if she could go through with this arrangement. She had managed to hide her irritation when Callie called Mark the "baby daddy" while she had been relegated to "lesbian lover" – not the "other mommy" or even the clinical sounding "partner". No, she was the _lesbian lover_, even though it had been months since she'd been able to live up to _that_ title.

"Nothing?" Callie asked, her nervousness showing.

"Give me a minute."

"It's a bad idea," Callie complained.

"Callie –" Arizona tried to offer Callie some comfort, but Callie cut her off.

"No, it's stupid. She said it's too early. She can't find it yet. It doesn't mean a dead baby. It just means this is really stupid."

"Ssshh," Mark hissed, trying to quiet the Latina.

Arizona unexpectedy felt Callie's hand reach for hers, and her heart briefly raced. She took Callie's hand in hers, realizing that it was the first time they'd touched since she'd left for Africa. Callie clutched the smaller hand, needing the connection as they watched the ultrasound.

Suddenly the room filled with the sound of a rapidly beating heart.

"Oh, my, God…" Callie stared at the screen. "Oh, my, God…"

Arizona felt the hand holding hers squeeze even harder. Callie turned to look not at Mark, but Arizona. "Arizona… it's…."

"I know, Calliope, I know," Arizona said lacing her fingers with Callie's and squeezing the brunette's hand. Their eyes met and for one moment, she felt like this was theirs, that it was just the two of them sharing it. She tightened her grip on Callie's hand, moving a little closer to her.

"Arizona, this is… this is really…" Callie was speechless.

Before the blonde could answer, her pager went off. "Crap," she said looking down at it. "I have to go. I have a patient who's coding. I'm sorry."

"Go, go," Callie urged. "It's okay. You have a patient."

"Tonight, at the apartment?" Arizona said as she opened the door.

"Yes, I'll meet you there."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Callie had been waiting patiently for Arizona. The Peds surgeon had texted her earlier and let her know that she'd been called into surgery. She checked the refrigerator for something to drink or eat, but only found a nearly empty carton of milk, a solitary can of diet soda, a few slices of American cheese and gallon of water. She poked around in the cupboards and found a box of crackers, an unopened jar of peanut butter and box with a few bags of herbal tea. She chuckled softly to herself. _Some things never change. Arizona still doesn't like to grocery shop_.

She made herself a cup of herbal tea (amazed that Arizona even had any) and then walked around the apartment. It felt weird for the Latina be in it and not be living in it. Everything pretty much looked the same, the furniture, the décor but without her own belongings it made her feel like a stranger in her own home. She wandered into the bedroom and saw the neatly made bed. She smiled to herself. Arizona was the one who always insisted on making the bed when she had the time. Callie preferred to just leave the sheets and blankets a tangled mess.

She noticed the frame photograph sitting on the nightstand next to what they both had called "Arizona's" side of the bed. It was the picture Callie had taken of the two of them on one of their early dates. She grinned as she recalled the day they'd spent together. Taking the ferry, then driving the rest of the way to Deception Pass to have a picnic on the rock covered beach. Her smile grew as she remembered the heated make-out session they'd had when they returned. _God, it had been so easy back then_, Callie thought with sadness.

She returned back to the living room and curled up on the sofa. Dr. Fields had given her some reading materials. Callie had scoffed at first. She was, after all, a doctor. What could she possibly learn from the brochures? It wasn't until she read through it all that she realized it had been a long time since she'd done her OB-GYN rotation and that there was a lot she'd either forgotten, or hadn't been interested. Her focus had always been orthopedics and she'd done the bare minimum to get through the other rotations.

The door suddenly opened and Arizona burst through the door with a large box in her hands.

"What're you doing? Is that one of my boxes?" Callie asked accusingly.

"Oh, don't get up." Arizona set the box down. "You rest. You shouldn't be lifting heavy things."

"No, I'll get up if I want to." Callie set her cup down. "Are you moving my stuff back in?"

"Callie…"

"I haven't said I'm moving back in… yet." She got up from the sofa and walked toward the blonde. "We're not together. You can… you can take those back to Mark's."

After brooding about the situation all day, Arizona finally decided that enough was enough. If she was going to be "in", Callie should be "in' as well.

"Shut up. Just shut up. You don't get to tell me we're not together. We are together because I love you and you love me and none of the rest matters. We. Are. Together."

Callie was stunned. She hadn't expected Arizona to be so… so assertive.

"And if you ever sleep with anyone else again, man or woman, I will kick the crap out of you. You sit your ass back down 'cause that's my baby in there, and I don't want anything happening to my baby."

"Your baby, huh?" Callie started to smile. Her doubts about Arizona bailing were fading fast.

"Our baby," Arizona replied, her voice seemingly full of wonder. "There was a heartbeat."

"Mmmhmm," Callie murmured, nodding her head in agreement. She was sure the look on Arizona's face matched her own.

"And it was…" Arizona took a step closer to Callie, and timidly placed a hand on Callie's hip. "We're having a baby."

Arizona cupped Callie's cheek with her hand and drew her in for a kiss… their first kiss in what had seemed like a lifetime to her. The first touch of her lips against Callie's was the miracle for Arizona. It was like coming home. It was a sweet kiss, full of love.

"I'll sit down," Callie said in a low voice, "but I'd rather rip your clothes off."

Callie's hands slid down Arizona's body to her ass. She pulled her in closer and Callie's kiss became deeper, more passionate and almost desperate. It was too fast, too much for Arizona. She knew what Callie was doing; it was how they'd always resolved arguments… any unpleasantness for that matter… in the past. Lots of sex and little communication.

"Callie, stop."

"What? Why?" she asked, pulling Arizona back to her.

"I might bail when things get hard, but you...you're always trying to fuck away your problems. Sex is NOT our solution to this, Callie. Your screwing Mark is what got us in this mess!" Arizona stepped out of Callie's embrace to put a little bit of distance between them.

"I do not!" Callie exclaimed, offended by the remark. "And for God's sake, stop blaming Mark for this."

"And when you can't screw them away, you just cut the person out of your life until you come to a solution on your own." Arizona continued as though she hadn't heard Callie's defense of Mark Sloan, even though a piece of her heart crumbled over the remark. "Well, here's a newsflash. We HAVE to learn to communicate if we're going to be parents. Because there's no bailing or cutting a kid out of your life." She paused to take a deep breath. "And if you can't handle learning to communicate without solving our problems with sex, then I don't see how we can parent together. Honestly, given our history and how this has all turned out, if we don't change our means of communicating, how am I supposed to trust you with him ever again? How do I know that in two years I'm not going to be right back in this same hell I'm living now?" Callie's jaw dropped in mute disbelief. Arizona waited several minutes for a response but was met with stony silence. She exhaled loudly. "Yeah, that's what I was afraid of." Arizona stormed off to the bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

Callie slowly returned to her seat on the sofa. She stared unseeingly at the coffeetable. How could Arizona think such things...think so little of her to believe she would ever sleep with Mark again?

The answer hit her with breathtaking force. History. The Talk. Seattle Grace's neverending gossip mill. Callie's history kept repeating itself. When things got tough in her relationship, she slept with Mark to escape them. George, Erica, and now Arizona. She had done it to all of them.

She leaned her head against the back of the sofa and closed her eyes. Unbidden tears tracked slowly over her cheeks. She sighed softly as she allowed her body to drift into sleep. She'd deal with it tomorrow. For now, Callie took comfort in the knowledge that Arizona was only a room away.


	14. Work Together

**AN: This is, for the most part, Calzona, but Arizona-centric, with lots of other Grey's characters, especially Arizona's friendship with Teddy. It's slightly AU/Mostly Canon – Starts just before Arizona returns from Africa and varies a bit in the story of bringing them back together. Let's just say I bend the timeline and modify a few scenes to suit my own purposes.**

**AN2: Thanks again to Stacy, my beta reader who continues to do an "awesome" job (especially when she's acting as the 'redundancy police". Also a special thanks to ****pens_co927**** for the great suggestions and ideas. I'm beginning to think I should add you as co-author sometimes.**

**Disclaimers – All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual. (I don't own any of the characters from Grey's Anatomy. All of that belongs to Shondaland et al. I just wanted to take them out and play)**

Chapter Fourteen – Work Together

Arizona stared up at the bedroom ceiling deep in thought. She had barely reconciled (if that's what it was) with Callie and already she was messing it up. How did Callie expect her to be a good mom when the two of them could barely stand to be in the same room without someone starting an argument? There was no way they could raise a child together with this kind of tension between them.

With a heavy sigh, the blonde tossed the blankets aside, swung her legs over the side of the bed and pushed away. Glancing at the mirror, she saw her hair a complete mess, evidence of how poorly she'd slept. She found a tie for her hair and pulled the long blonde locks together in a loose ponytail, wincing when the hair around her wound pulled on her stitches.

Not bothering to throw a robe on over her baggy boxer shorts and camisole, she headed out of the bedroom. _Coffee, I need coffee_, she thought. _And now I've got to wait for it. Damn_. In her haste to get away from Callie the night before, she'd neglected to set the timer on the coffeemaker. She walked into the kitchen but stopped abruptly at the sight in the living room. She quietly moved into the open space and sat on the edge of the coffee table to watch Callie sleep on the couch.

Callie's eyebrows drew together, eyes still closed. "You know I hate it when you watch me sleep."

"You look so peaceful and not so frowny. I don't get to see you like that very often when you're awake."

"It's creepy, Arizona." Callie opened her eyes and moved into a sitting position.

"You slept on the couch," Arizona stated, confusion evident in her tone.

"Where else was I gonna sleep? You locked me out of the bedroom." She noticed Arizona glance quickly at the apartment door. Callie's gaze softened as a flood of sadness and disappointment washed over her. "Oh, Arizona. No."

"What else was I supposed to think, Callie? Every single time something goes wrong with us you run to Mark." She shook her head to change her course of thought. "You want me all in but I really need the same from you."

"I told you yesterday I am."

"I need more than you just telling me that, Callie. Being all in with me means no more runnning to Mark when we disagree. And I know you didn't run to him last night," Arizona conceded. "But I need you to stop doing that ever again." Arizona took a deep breath. "Being all in also means no more using sex to gloss over our problems. That means neither of us bails. We have to learn to talk to each other instead of ignoring our feelings. We have to work together, as a team."

Callie nodded. "Totally agree."

They sat there smiling at each other, both hopeful and scared of what the future held. "Is it ok to kiss you? 'cause I really wanna kiss you right now," Callie said.

Arizona closed the gap between them. She pressed her lips softly to Callie's. For the first time since the Africa debacle, both women felt that even though the odds were stacked against them they were going to be okay, that this was going to work out.

The blonde sighed into the kiss from the woman she knew would always be the love of her life, for good or bad. She parted her lips, hoping that Callie would respond. She felt the tip of Callie's tongue slowly drag across her bottom lip before feeling it hesitatingly slip inside. Arizona couldn't help but return the kiss with equal passion. She was startled at first when she felt Callie's hands on her hips, pulling her up from the coffee table. Her lips never leaving Callie's, Arizona followed the gentle tug on her hips. She ended up on her knees, straddling the Latina's thighs.

Needing to breathe after a particularly long kiss, Arizona bent her head, resting her forehead against the top of Callie's head. She slowly ran her fingers through the now-shorter dark tresses.

"I've missed you," she whispered, her voice full of longing and love. "So, so much."

"I've missed you, too." Callie's reply was equally heartfelt.

As Callie leaned forward to kiss Arizona again, she spotted the heart-shaped pendant that still dangled from the necklace around the blonde's neck. "You still wear it," she said, her voice unsteady with emotion that swelled her chest.

"My heart will always belong to you, Calliope."

Callie nudged the necklace aside with her nose so she could place a tender kiss above Arizona's heart.

Arizona moved her hands from Callie's hair. Her fingers delicately traced over the Latina's ears, then her face. She felt the almost-gasp of breath against her chest. She moved a finger to Callie's chin and gently the tilted brunette's head up for a kiss. Once again, their lips met, but there was nothing hurried or rushed about the kiss. It was slow and languid, heated and passionate.

"I've missed this," Arizona said as Callie's lips moved from the blonde's lips to her neck.

"I bet I know what else you've missed," Callie said, her hands leaving Arizona's hips and gliding down her thighs.

Callie couldn't decide which she liked more… Arizona's ass or Arizona's breasts. Either place on the blonde's body was pretty wonderful, even spectacular, in Callie's opinion. Having the option to internally debate Arizona's 'assets' was something she didn't think she'd ever experience again. Foregoing at the moment the opportunity to decide, Callie chose both.

Her hands, strengthened by years of bone-breaking surgeries, slowly slid up Arizona's bare thighs, lightly gripping and squeezing the muscles. When they reached the hem of the light blue boxer shorts, the blonde rose up onto her knees, granting her more access. Callie nearly moaned aloud when her hands moved underneath the material to cup the firm buttocks. At first she just reveled in having Arizona's ass in her hands once again, but that didn't last long as she began to knead the flesh in a knowing manner.

Not wanting to neglect her other favorite spot, Callie trailed her lips down Arizona's neck and across her chest. She placed her mouth over a camisole covered nipple and gently teased it with her tongue.

Arizona was not prepared for the flood of emotions and arousal that threatened to overwhelm her. "Oh, God… Callie… that feels so…" she gasped, her fingers tangling in Callie's hair as she held Callie close.

Callie applied more pressure with her mouth, causing the nipple to harden. Her own arousal grew when she felt the heat between Arizona's legs press against her stomach. She exhaled with a low moan that vibrated against Arizona's breast.

Other than her aborted attempt to 'force herself' on Kayo during a weak, drunken moment, there had been no one except Callie since the night she'd first kissed the Latina. And the way her body was responding to Callie now, she knew there would never be anyone else who would make her feel the way she did. Callie's touches were like drugs, an addiction she never wanted to give up.

Arizona's hands clawed and grabbed at Callie's top in an effort to touch her. She desperately wanted to feel the body she'd been craving for months.

A sudden loud pounding on the door made both women jump. Callie had been lightly biting on one of Arizona's nipples and when startled, instinctively bit down.

"Owww!" Arizona gasped.

"I'm so sorry," Callie apologized as she immediately attempted to ease the blonde's pain with soothing kisses.

"Robbins! Robbins, I know you're home!"

Arizona sighed and pulled back from Callie. She didn't say anything in hopes that Callie would step up and take care of the manwhore who was currently knocking at the door.

"C'mon, Robbins! Answer the door!"

The Latina knew that wishing Mark would go away wasn't going to solve the problem. She kissed Arizona, murmuring "I got this," against the blonde's lips. As she reluctantly got up from the sofa, she saw the look of delight on Arizona's face and knew she'd made the right decision. She leaned over and placed one more kiss on Arizona's lips.

"Let me handle him," she said, giving Arizona's hand a gentle squeeze.

She strode over to the door. She'd barely turned the door knob before Mark flung the door open.

"Where is she, Robbins?" he asked, walking past Callie, not even seeing her. "She's gone. Her stuff is gone and she didn't come home. What did you do to her?" he asked accusingly.

"I'm right here, Mark," Callie said, stopping his rant.

The Plastic surgeon paused for a moment, his eyes going back and forth from woman to the other. He cast an appreciative eye and the blonde in her skimpy outfit of very short boxers and almost-see-through camisole with a wet spot over one nipple. He took in Callie's mussed up hair, her top in disarray.

"Nice," he leered.

"Mark," Callie chastised him, punching him in the arm.

"I'm gonna get dressed," Arizona said, walking to the bedroom. "Pig," she muttered under her breath.

Mark tilted his head to get a better view of the Peds surgeon's backside, causing another punch to his arm.

"Ow!"

"Stop leering at my girlfriend." She reached up and turned his head away from direction of the bedroom. "What did you want?"

"I was worried, Cal. Your stuff was gone and you never came home last night. I was worried about my kid."

"Um, Mark, it's not just your kid. It's mine, too." She took a deep breath. "And it's Arizona's kid as well."

"Sure about that?" he blurted.

"We're back together, Mark, so, yeah, I'm sure." _And if you hadn't interrupted us, we'd be 'celebrating' being back together right now,_ she thought.

"You moved back in? I thought you were gonna stay with me; that I was gonna take care of you."

"First of all, sleeping on your couch while I become the size of whale over the next seven months is idiotic. Secondly, and most importantly, Arizona is my girlfriend and is perfectly capable of taking care of me, and _should _be taking care of me."

She took his arm and steered him back toward the door. "We have to get ready for work, Mark." She opened the blue apartment door. "We'll see you at the hospital."

"But… Cal… "

"Goodbye, Mark," she said, closing the door on his protests.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Arizona had listened to Callie and Mark through the bedroom door that she'd kept cracked open. She'd been pleased that Callie had been able to get Mark to leave, though she wished the Latina had been more outspoken, a little more firm in her words. _Little steps_, she thought as she showered. _It's not going to happen overnight_. She had to admit, however, that hearing Callie call her "her girlfriend" made her feel better, that maybe Callie really was as all in as she herself was trying to be.

"Arizona?" Callie asked, knocking on the bathroom door.

"I'll be done in a minute, Calliope," she called out, turning off the shower.

In the past, Callie would've just gone into the bathroom, but it was different now between them. She wanted to respect Arizona's privacy and they really did need to take things slowly. It was going to take a lot to repair the damage that they'd both done to each other and their relationship. As nice and as hot as their interlude on the couch had been, Callie had to agree with the blue-eyed blonde. There was a lot of work to be done before they'd get back to the sexy times.

Callie sighed as she made the coffee. She had missed Arizona and despite the hurt and the humiliation she'd felt when Arizona had left, she had never stopped loving or needing her. And feeling Arizona in her arms, the paler skin beneath her fingertips… Callie shivered once.

Arizona returned to the main room of the apartment in time to see Callie pouring a cup of coffee.

"Hey! No coffee!" she said, crossing the room in quick strides. She grabbed the coffee cup before the taller woman could take even a sip.

"What?"

"You can't have coffee."

"What are you talking about?"

"It's bad for the baby. The caffeine. You can't have it."

"Oh, no, I am _not_ going to go through my day without coffee."

"Yes, you are, Callie. No caffeine," she repeated, tipping the mug and emptying it into the sink.

"Arizona!"

"I don't want anything to happen to my." Arizona corrected herself. "_Our_ baby."

Callie's heart nearly melted at Arizona's use of the word 'our'. Even though they were still figuring out where they were in their relationship, Arizona, so far was doing and saying all the right things. Callie smiled at the blonde and took her hand.

"Don't you try using that look on me, Callie. You can't have any coffee, unless it's decaf."

"I love you," Callie said, her heart suddenly full of love for the woman in front of her.

"What?"

"I love you, Arizona."

"I love you, too, Calliope." Arizona leaned into the Ortho surgeon and gave her a quick kiss, followed by a smile. "But you still can't have any coffee."

"Not even a sip?"

"No." She kissed Callie again. "We need to get you some breakfast… a healthy breakfast."

"Well, that's not going to happen here," Callie laughed, remembering the lack of food in the apartment. "And I still don't know if the hospital cafeteria really serves anything that could be considered healthy. At least healthy _and_ edible."

"Well, if you can be ready in fifteen minutes, we can go out for breakfast."

"Deal."

"And after work, I'll pick up some groceries. No more junk food for you."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hand in hand the two women walked to the hospital. As they approached they employees' entrance, they spotted Teddy and Kayo ahead of them. The Cardio surgeon was laughing and her friend was scowling. Arizona knew her friends well enough by now to know that Teddy had gotten the better of Kayo with her teasing.

"So, what's the story with those two?" Callie asked.

"Who? Kayo and Teddy?"

"Yeah. There's all kinds of talk around the hospital about the two of them." Callie didn't say anything about the talk she'd heard about Arizona and the Trauma surgeon. She wasn't quite ready to address her fears that the talk might be true.

"Really?" The look on Arizona's face bordered on astonishment. "I haven't heard anything. What are people saying?"

"That they're… you know…"

A sudden burst of laughter spilled out of Arizona. "You're joking, right?"

"No."

"Teddy's straight, Callie. They're just really good friends. They were in Iraq together."

"It just seems… they seem really… close."

"They are. Being in a war together can foster really tight bonds."

"I suppose."

They rode up the elevator, still holding hands. The elevator stopped and Miranda Bailey stepped inside. She wasn't subtle as she looked over the two surgeons.

"'bout time," she said curtly. Turning her back to the two women, she allowed herself a satisfied smile. The General surgeon was pleased to see them as a couple once more and believed that she had played no small part in bringing them back together.

"You cleared for surgery, Dr. Robbins?" Bailey asked.

"Yes. I'm back on the board."

"Good. That fool Stark… you're gone two days and the Ped's department is an even bigger mess." The elevator opened. "Try to keep out of trouble. We can't afford to have it completely fall apart," she said as she exited.

"I'll do my best, Miranda," Arizona replied.

Callie squeezed Arizona's hand. "It really is good to have you back, Arizona."

"It's good to be back."

Promising to meet up for lunch, the two women parted after a quick kiss.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I can't believe you won't let me have any coffee," Callie complained as she set her tray down on a table in the hospital cafeteria. "I'm eating healthier," she continued, gesturing to the food she had selected.

"Callie, you know caffeine's not good for the baby."

"I'm going through caffeine withdrawal," she whined. "I may have to kill someone before this day is over."

"It'll get better." Arizona dropped her hand and gently rubbed her hand across the Latina's thigh. "Maybe I could help distract you from all that 'tension' you're feeling."

"Other than giving me an IV of coffee, what could you possibly do to help?" With a glare full of irritation, she turned to the blonde. Seeing the blue eyes full of lust, Callie let out a knowing "oh" quickly followed by another, longer "oh".

Leaning closer to Callie, Arizona whispered in a low voice, "I've got a whole list of things that I've been wanting to do with you, _to_ _you_ for the past three months."

Callie just stared at Arizona, her mind racing with her own thoughts about all _she'd_ been missing with Arizona. "But… but we're supposed to take it slowly, Arizona…"

"Mind if we join you?" Teddy asked as she and Kayo stopped by the table.

"Sure," Arizona said perkily.

Seeing the open-mouthed stare and the blush on the Ortho surgeon's face, Teddy smirked at her blonde friend. She'd been around the two women long enough to know that Arizona had said something flirtatious or outright dirty to the Latina. When it came right down to it, Teddy was glad to see her friends acting like a couple once again, even with the specter of a baby looming over the relationship.

"Are we interrupting something?" the Cardio surgeon inquired with a smile as she sat down across from Callie, Kayo slipping into the seat beside her.

"No… uh… no… why would you say that?" Callie stammered.

"No reason," Teddy replied, giving Arizona a quick wink.

Recovering from Arizona's suggestion, Callie looked at the two women seated across from her. Teddy had a smirk on her face that seemed to hint that she knew exactly what she and Arizona had been talking about. That didn't surprise the Latina. Since becoming friends with Arizona, the Cardio surgeon had been privy to all kinds of talk and behaviors. Callie had to give Teddy credit as she seemed to be a pretty good sport, even with their more salacious actions.

Glancing at the Trauma surgeon next to Teddy, Callie tried not to frown. She didn't like the woman; didn't trust her around Arizona. Still… GI Jane had come to Arizona's defense in the ER and probably prevented Arizona from getting hurt worse. _She doesn't have those black eyes and stitches for nothing, _Callie thought._ She didn't hesitate to protect Arizona. That's something I… I should have been the one to protect her._

"Are you back on the board, Kayo?" Arizona asked, noting Kayo was wearing dark blue scrubs under her white lab coat.

"No," Kayo grumbled, looking down at her food. "Shepherd won't release me for surgery until I pass one of his stupid tests three times in a row."

Arizona looked over at Teddy who discreetly pointed to her eyes and mouthed the words "double vision". Arizona nodded.

"No, I can't even work the pit," Kayo spat. "I've been stuck in the skills lab all morning with Yang."

"Yang? What for?"

"I've been teaching her that stitch I used on that patient we had; the one who broke curfew."

"Your idea or hers?"

"Yang's, of course," Teddy said. "Cristina's relentless when it comes to getting any bit of knowledge that will give her an edge." Teddy sighed. "I hate it when the competition heats up for Chief Resident."

"Well, she is a good student. I'll give her that," Kayo conceded.

Teddy noticed Callie eyeing the large cup of coffee on Kayo's tray. No, she wasn't just looking at it; she was coveting it.

"I can't stand it any longer, Arizona," Callie said, getting up from her chair. "I've got to have just one cup."

She bolted from the table, leaving behind three startled women.

"What's that all about?"

"No caffeine," Arizona explained. "You know… it's bad… "

"For the baby," Kayo finished Arizona's statement.

"You know?" Arizona asked.

"Yup," Kayo answered, her voice short. "Teddy told me. Don't worry. I haven't said anything to anyone."

"Oh, okay then…"

Arizona couldn't get a read on either of her friends. Before she could say another word to them, Callie returned, a small cup of coffee in her hand.

"What are you doing?" Arizona asked.

"I looked it up, y'know… this morning… online. Those studies showed birth defects in rats. I'm not a rat." She turned to Teddy. "Tell her I'm not a rat."

"I… she's not a rat."

"We discussed the caffeine this morning."

"I have to fix big, multiple fractures this afternoon, Arizona," the Ortho surgeon argued. "That's major surgery. It totally changes the situation completely."

Kayo and Teddy watched the exchange between Arizona and Callie with some amusement.

"I need caffeine," Callie persisted.

"Okay, if you want caffeine that badly, Calliope, then fine. You're a grown-up. You can make your own decisions."

Callie raised the cup to her mouth. She looked at the women at watching her. Arizona gave her a small look of disappointment as she shook her head slightly. Kayo was watching Arizona and Teddy… Teddy looked as if she was measuring whose willpower was stronger.

Callie struggled. She wanted the coffee but she knew Arizona was right, and deep down, she didn't want to disappoint her.

"Damnit!" she said, setting the cup down and once again, got up from the table, shaking her head. "You're not fair," she said pointedly to Arizona. "You're not fair."

The remaining women watched Callie stomp out of the cafeteria.

"For someone who has a history of ambivalence towards motherhood… you've got the whole 'guilt thing' down cold," Teddy astutely observed

"I'm entitled to my opinion," Arizona replied. "If I'm gonna do this, I'm going to have a voice." She picked up Callie's cup and took a large swallow. "Oh, God, that's good."

"Arizona!"

"What?" she asked innocently.

"It's a good thing Callie didn't see you drink her coffee. That would've been downright cruel."

Arizona shrugged her shoulders, smiled and took another sip of the coffee.

"So, how are 'things' between you two?" Teddy asked.

"Better. Not great, but a heckuva lot better than I expected."

"Are you back together?"

"I think so. We're getting there."

"And the… the…"

"Baby. You can say it, Teddy. The baby."

Teddy's cheeks reddened. "I was just curious. Have you made any plans?"

"Well, we had our first appointment with Lucy Fields yesterday." Arizona's eyes softened and she smiled, recalling the first time they'd heard the heartbeat.

"Fields, huh? I didn't see that one coming,"

Arizona's eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I just figured that between Callie and Mark one of them would have begged Addison to come be her doctor."

"Which...if I were to suggest it...would earn me brownie points?" Arizona thought out loud.

Finished with her lunch, Teddy slid her tray to the side. "You're really going to do this? Raise a kid with Callie _and_ Mark Sloan?"

"Looks that way. We need to work out the details, but yeah, I am."

Teddy suddenly realized that Kayo hadn't said or asked anything in quite some time. She looked over at her friend who seemed to be taking a great interest in pushing the food around on her plate.

"Kayo?"

"What?"

"Are you going to eat that or build a sculpture out of it?"

"Y'know, I'm not even hungry," Kayo remarked, pushing back from the table. "I think I'm going to go up to the helipad, catch a smoke before I have to meet with Yang again."

She picked up her tray and left the room.

"Is she all right?" Arizona asked. "How serious is her concussion?"

"Kayo's fine. She'll be working again in no time."

"Really? She seems kind of angry."

"Concerned, actually," Teddy replied. "As am I."

"What? Why?"

"Arizona, I know you love Callie."

"I do," she nodded.

"But this baby… with Sloan… are you sure you know what you're getting yourself into?"

"No, I don't, not really. I just know that I love Callie, and if the only way I can be with her again is to be with her _and_ a baby, then that's what I'm going to do."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Arizona was struggling with the bags of groceries she'd picked up after work when she heard footsteps behind her.

"Do you want some help, Robbins?" Mark asked.

"Yes, thanks."

He took the majority of the bags out of the blonde's SUV. Despite her recent reacquaintance with her ill feelings toward Mark (completely justified in her mind) Arizona knew that he wasn't always a total jerk. There were times that he actually was a decent human being. He was loyal to his friends, (though his loyalty sometimes manifested itself in completely inappropriate ways), and he could even be gallant at times.

"Got a lot of food here, blondie," he commented as they headed into the elevator of their apartment building.

Arizona sighed her disgust at his continued use of 'blondie'. "Yes, Mark, I do. Callie's eating for two now, and I want to make sure there's plenty of healthy food for her."

"You okay with all this?"

"With what? Raising my girlfriend's baby with her best _friend_? I don't have a choice, now, do I?"

"Sure you do. You don't have to do anything."

"That's not an option, Mark. I love Callie, and loving Callie means loving this baby." _Even if it's yours_ she thought. "I'm not going anywhere."

"I really didn't think you would."

"Would what? Raise the baby with Callie? Stay around?"

"Noooo. I really didn't think you'd _leave_," he explained.

Juggling her purse and the few bags of groceries she had carried, she unlocked the door to the apartment. Mark carried the groceries over to the breakfast bar and set them down.

"Do you want some help cooking dinner?" he asked as he started unpacking the bags.

"Why? Do you think I'm not capable?"

"Geez, blondie, you're a little touchy tonight," he said, holding his hands up in mock-defense. "I just thought it was something we could do together for Callie."

"Fine. I need to put the groceries away first."

"Let me help."

With hardly any words spoken, the two surgeons unpacked the groceries.

"So, what should we make for dinner?" Mark asked when the task was done.

"I was thinking grilled chicken breasts and a vegetable."

"We could make some rice, too. Do you have any brown rice?"

"Cupboard to the right of the refrigerator." Arizona set out the chicken and broccoli. "Would you mind starting? I want to change my clothes."

"Sure."

Arizona turned the light on and closed the door behind her. What she saw made her stop dead in her tracks. Callie was curled up on "her" side of the bed_. What's Callie doing home? I thought her shift ended after mine_.

"Callie?" Arizona's voice was soft and gentle. "Callie, honey, what's wrong?" she asked, getting on the bed behind her, one arm immediately wrapping around her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm still bleeding," Callie responded, and fresh tears sprang to her eyes.

Arizona instinctively went into doctor mode. "How badly? Do we need to take you to the hospital?"

"No, no… it's not any worse than it was earlier… and I know Fields said that it was normal…" Callie rambled. "that lots of women bleed and it doesn't mean anything… but we don't know that for sure, Arizona… something could be wrong…"

"Sssshhh. It'll be okay," Arizona soothed as she pulled Callie closer.

"You don't know that, Arizona."

"No, I don't know that as an absolute certainty. But I'm going to assume best case scenario until we know differently." Arizona sat up a little straighter and leaned over to give Callie a reassuring kiss on her temple. "I need to take care of something. I'll be right back."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Arizona returned to the kitchen, relieved to see that Mark hadn't totally destroyed the kitchen with his cooking.

"Rice is cooking, chicken'll be ready in five minutes and the broccoli is almost done," he said, keeping an eye on food.

"Mark."

He looked up from the stove. "I thought you were going to change."

"Here's the thing. Callie's home, and she's had a long day and isn't feeling so great right now."

"Is it anything serious?"

"No, just fatigue and caffeine withdrawal."

"Are you sure? Should we call Fields?"

"Mark, just let me take care of her."

"Okay." He returned back to the food. "I'll finish up the dinner."

"You don't have to. I can do it."

"Let me do at least this much, Robbins. I want to help take care of Callie, too."

"Fine."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After her shift ended, Teddy walked to the skills lab. She hadn't heard from Kayo all day, and Kayo hadn't answered the one text that she'd sent earlier. As she reached for the door handle, it opened from the inside.

"Oh, Dr. Altman," April Kepner said, clearly startled. "What are you doing here?"

"Have you seen Yang or Dwyer?"

"Oh, they left for Joe's about an hour ago. A bunch of us are meeting there. I'm headed there now."

"Okay, thanks. Guess I'll go over, too."

Teddy wasn't one to socialize with a bunch of Residents, but if Kayo was at Joe's with Yang, then Owen was most likely there as well. _And wherever Yang goes, Meredith Gray goes_, Teddy rationalized as she walked beside the young Resident. _And if Gray is there, then Derek could be there. At least there's a chance some adults will be there_.

She spotted the group of doctors seated together at a table. Kayo was wearing a baseball hat pulled low, covering the stitches on her forehead. Meredith and Yang seemed to be matching Kayo shot for shot, if the half empty bottle of tequila in front of them was any indication. Owen and Alex Karev were seated across from the women and were watching them with not a little amusement.

"Got room for two more?" Teddy asked.

"Sure, pull up a chair," Owen said graciously.

Teddy suppressed the smile as she watched April quickly find a spot next to Kayo.

Kayo tossed her shot of tequila back, then slammed the glass down. "Who's next?" She turned to the red-haired resident beside her. "You want a shot?"

"You bet."

"Sure about that? You don't strike me as a tequila kind of girl."

"Yeah, a Shirley Temple is more her style," Karev said, causing the others around the table to laugh.

"I drink," April protested.

"Really? Since when?" Karev asked, tipping his own bottle of beer back.

"I drink beer. You know that."

"Oh, big whoop. So you drink beer."

Kayo poured a shot from the bottle and then slid the glass in front of April. "Bottom's up," she said.

April picked up the shot and then hesitated.

"Don't sip it. Just toss it back all at once," Kayo coached.

"Here goes," April said before downing the shot. She coughed once, her eyes filling with tears. "Wow! That's strong."

"Good for you, Kepner. Always good to try new things."

"Way to go, Kepner," Alex chimed in. "Maybe they'll be other things you'll try."

The younger blushed with as she quickly reached for her beer.

Teddy was trying to gauge how much Kayo had had to drink. She hoped she wasn't foolish enough to mix her pain meds and alcohol.

"I'm gonna get a drink," Teddy said, getting up.

"I'll go with you," Kayo offered, standing up. "Another round everyone?"

"You buying?" Yang asked.

"This round."

"Hell yes," Karev said.

Kayo grinned at her new drinking buddies before following Teddy to the bar.

"Should you be drinking?" Teddy asked as they waited in line.

"Why shouldn't I?"

"Pain meds, for one."

"Stopped taking them yesterday. They fuck my head up."

"What's wrong?"

"Shepherd's still keeping me on the bench for another thirty-six hours. Told me to go home, take it easy. So I'm taking it easy." She turned around and surveyed the bar, looking for prospects.

"Kayo."

"What, Bear?" she replied, her eyes zeroing in on an attractive blonde seated at the bar. The blonde smiled at her, meeting Kayo's eyes with her own hard stare.

"You sure you're okay?"

"I'll be fine, once I get back to work."

The drinks were soon ready, and on a tray, waiting to be carried back to the table.

"Bear, can you take them over?"

"Okay. Why can't you?"

"I've got some, um, business to attend to," she said with a predatory smile as she headed toward the blonde at the bar. "Don't wait up," she called over her shoulder confidently.

Teddy rolled her eyes as she picked up the tray. She wondered if Kayo was truly drinking because she couldn't work, or if it had anything to do with certain blonde Peds surgeon. _Well, she's a big girl. She can take care of herself. She doesn't need me to watch over her_.

"Where's Dr. Dwyer?" April asked as Teddy set the tray down on the table.

"She's found something else to occupy her," Teddy answered, sitting back down at the table.

"More like some _one_," Karev commented with a smirk.

"Oh, I was hoping I could ask her about the stitch she was teaching Dr. Yang," the resident said, crestfallen.

"So ask her. She won't mind," Karev said as he watched Kayo move in on the woman at the bar. "I'm sure she'd be happy to teach you all kinds of things." The grin on his face was sly.

"Really?" April was clueless to his innuendo.

"Ask her some other time, Kepner," Teddy interrupted, glaring at the younger man seated beside her. She turned her gaze back to Kayo in time to see her engrossed in conversation with the blonde at the bar. Teddy sighed deeply then turned her attention back to the other doctors.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Are you feeling better?" Arizona asked as she kissed Callie's shoulder, her arms still tight around the Latina.

"A little." Callie turned over to face Arizona. "Guess it's my day again to be the crazy one."

Arizona smiled and placed a gentle kiss on Callie's forehead. "You're entitled. No caffeine can certainly make someone a little crazy."

"Um, about that…"

"What?"

"I had one cup," she confessed. "A small one."

"Callie…"

"I looked it up. A little caffeine won't hurt. I just can't have it while I'm breastfeeding."

"Ok, then you have to eat the dinner that Mark made."

"Mark made dinner?"

"Yes. He helped me bring in the groceries then we were going to cook you some dinner. He ended up cooking all of it."

"Good thing. We don't need the apartment catching fire," she teased.

The blonde sat up abruptly. "That was one time, Callie." Her voice was indignant. "And it wasn't the apartment. It was _one_ pan."

"I know. I'm just teasing you, Arizona," she apologized, pulling the blonde back down beside her. "Dinner, huh? What are we having?"

"Grilled chicken breasts, brown rice and broccoli. It won't take long for me to heat a plate up for you."

"Chicken? I'd really rather have a peanut butter sandwich. I've suddenly got a craving for peanut butter."

"Hmmm… okay, but only if you eat the rice and broccoli."

"I can do that," Callie agreed, getting up from the bed.

"See? We can learn to compromise, Calliope."

Arizona took Callie's hand and led her to the kitchen.


	15. Second Opinion

**Nothing Comes Easily by captstarbuck**

**AN: This is, for the most part, Calzona, but Arizona-centric, with lots of other Grey's characters, especially Arizona's friendship with Teddy. It's slightly AU/Mostly Canon – Starts just before Arizona returns from Africa and varies a bit in the story of bringing them back together. Let's just say I bend the timeline and modify a few scenes to suit my own purposes.**

**AN2: Thanks again to Stacy, my beta reader who does a "super" job. Also a special thanks to ****pens_co927**** for the great suggestions and ideas. You've been a huge help.**

**Disclaimers – All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual. (I don't own any of the characters from Grey's Anatomy. All of that belongs to Shondaland et al. I just wanted to take them out and play)**

**Chapter Fifteen – Second Opinion**

Arizona cleared the table as Callie sat at the breakfast bar, a wineglass full of milk in her hand.

"Thank you for meeting me halfway on the coffee," Callie said.

"Sure. Like I said earlier, compromise."

"It was probably for the best. I'm moody enough with the hormone casserole going on in my body. Making me go cold turkey on caffeine was only making it worse." Callie chuckled. "Poor Kepner. I don't think I've ever seen anyone run so fast with a hot cup of coffee."

"Kepner?"

"Yes." Callie smiled at the memory of the resident fetching a cup of coffee, her face almost panic-stricken. It hadn't been funny at the time, but now that she'd had her one cup of coffee, she could reflect on the insanity of the day. "Owen ordered her to get me a cup of coffee; even told her to run."

Arizona finished wiping down the counters before pouring herself a glass of white wine.

"Is there anything else I can get you or do for you?"

"No, not really. You've done enough for me today." Callie thought for a moment. "Actually, there is something you can do." There was some hesitation in the Latina's voice.

"What? Anything you need, I'm here."

Callie gave Arizona a wide smile. "How about a kiss?"

"That… that I can do," the blonde replied, walking over to Callie. She set her glass of wine down beside Callie's empty glass. "You shouldn't ever have to ask for one, or feel like you can't ask for one," she said, stepping between Callie's legs, her hands moving to Callie's shoulders. She leaned into the dark-haired woman and placed a gentle, loving kiss on the full lips.

Callie's hands dropped to Arizona's hips and she pulled the blonde closer, her arms enveloping the smaller woman.

"It feels so good to have you in my arms again, Arizona."

Arizona tucked her face into Callie's shoulder and nodded her agreement. Arizona eyes filled with tears when she felt Callie's arms wrap around her. Yes, she'd missed touching and kissing and making love, but this… having Callie holding her… _this_ was what she'd missed more than anything.

For several minutes, they remained in place, each woman taking comfort in being in one another's arms.

"We should get you to bed," Arizona said after noticing the clock on the microwave. She added a kiss to Callie's cheek. "You really need to take advantage of having a night off where you can get a good eight hours of sleep."

She reluctantly moved from Callie's arms, causing a look of disappointment in the Latina's face.

"Seriously, Callie. You're going to want to grab every chance you can for sleep."

"I have been tired," Callie admitted. "And that bed of ours is looking awfully good after months on a sofa."

"You go get ready for bed and I'll lock up."

Twenty minutes later, Callie was settled onto "her" side of the bed. She let out a sigh of contentment as laid her head on the pillow. Moments later Arizona slid under the covers beside her. Feeling the mattress shift from the weight of the blonde's body behind her, Callie smiled. Not for the first time that day, she actually believed that they were going to make it.

Arizona snuggled up to Callie, spooning her. She tenderly placed her hand over the barely-there swell on the Latina's belly.

"So, I was thinking," she said.

"You were? Good for you," Callie teased.

"Meanie," Arizona retorted, gently biting the shoulder she'd previously been kissing.

"Sorry," she apologized. "I just couldn't resist." She laid her hand over Arizona's, pulling her closer. "What did you want to say?"

"I know you're not completely comfortable with Lucy Fields yet."

"Was I that obvious?"

"No, but I could tell." Arizona scooted even closer, her body fully pressed against Callie's. "What do you think about having Addison come up for a visit? You know, get a second opinion?"

Callie rolled over onto her back and smiled. "I think it's a great idea."

"Do you want to call her or do you want me to?"

"I can."

"Maybe she can stay for a few days? I know you've probably missed having her here, y'know, with all that's been going on."

Callie turned her head and gave the blonde a small kiss. "Thank you for thinking of it."

"I love you, Calliope."

Arizona's hand crept under the red tank top that the Latina wore. She gently cupped the full breast as she kissed Callie's neck. She groaned to herself. It had been so long since she'd touched Callie this way and it was so hard to not take her actions any further.

"Mmmhmmm. You just love me 'cuz my boobs are gonna get bigger."

"Calliope!" Arizona said with mock indignation as she started to get up, then she reconsidered, a smirk crossing her face. "Well, there is that." She began to massage the breast in her hand. "Not that I don't already think your boobs are wonderful." She smiled, then added, "but I won't say 'no' to bigger."

"Perv," Callie responded then kissed Arizona, her body arching slightly into the hand that was caressing her breast oh so perfectly. "Arizona…" she said her voice husky, almost pleading.

"Are you still bleeding?" Arizona asked as she nipped at Callie's neck.

"Just a little, and I haven't for a few hours…" Knowing where the conversation was headed, Callie quickly continued, "but you're not."

With great difficulty, Arizona lifted her lips from Callie's neck and released the breast that she'd been fondling. "No, that wouldn't be fair. I don't want to… you know… until we both can."

"It's not like I can't do _anything_…"

"But I want us to be able to do it all. "

"I don't mind… really," Callie said as she turned over to face her girlfriend. "I really want to touch you… make love to you…" she whispered, her lips brushing against Arizona's.

"And I really, _really_ want you to," Arizona admitted, "but I want to wait. I want our first time… I want it to be together."

Callie groaned. "Stupid bleeding," she grumbled.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As Teddy approached the coffee cart, she couldn't help but overhear Callie and Arizona. They weren't really arguing, but it wasn't pleasant chit-chat either.

"Now or later, Callie? You can't have both."

"Arizona," Callie almost whined.

"We agreed. One cup a day. So, do you want your caffeine now or do you want it later?"

"What if I have a small cup now and a small cup later? It's the same as one big cup a day."

Teddy smiled to herself. She could see the next seven months for the two women were going to be filled with a whole series of this type of conversation.

"Do you two mind if I get my coffee while you hammer out the latest peace accords?"

"Oh, hey, Teddy. Good morning," the Peds surgeon greeted her friend.

"Arizona, Callie," Teddy said nodding to the barrista for her usual coffee order.

"Have you made up your mind yet, Calliope?"

"You didn't answer."

"Can I trust you to only get a small now and a small later?" she asked.

"Of course," Callie huffed. She stepped up to order. "My usual, but the smallest one you've got," she said begrudgingly.

Arizona smiled as she placed an order for her usual, without "sizing down". She ignored the glare Callie gave her. She could tell that Callie was struggling to keep her complaint of the unfairness of it all to herself.

"Where's Kayo?" Arizona asked as they walked away from the coffee cart together.

"I don't know," Teddy replied, sipping from her cup as they headed for the elevator. "She never came home last night."

"Oh, really?"

Callie scowled, thinking that her girlfriend seemed all too interested in the activities of the Trauma surgeon.

"Yeah, Derek's got her on the bench for - " Teddy looked at her watch, "another twenty-four hours. Last time I saw her was at Joe's last night. She was drinking tequila like it was water with some woman at the bar. They were still there when I left around ten-thirty."

The three women entered the elevator together as they were all their way to the attendings' locker room.

"Her jeep's still in the same spot in the staff parking lot, so I guess it's a good thing she didn't drive anywhere."

"Have you tried calling her?"

"Not yet. I was just about to but I wanted coffee first."

They exited the elevator together, Callie and Arizona hand-in-hand. Teddy grinned, happy to see them together, even though she still had some misgivings about the circumstances in which her friends were now entrenched.

As they walked down the hallway, Teddy took her cell phone out of her purse. "I hope she has it on. I suppose I could page her if she doesn't answer."

Seconds after dialing, they heard the faint sounds of "The Cassions Go Rolling Along."

"That's Kayo's ringtone for me," Teddy said.

"Really? She needs to change that," Arizona said, walking down the hall trying to track down the ringing phone.

"You should hear what yours is," Teddy replied.

"I have my own ringtone?"

"Sure do. Ever heard 'When the red red robin goes bob bob bobbing along'?"

Callie laughed, despite her annoyance with someone else having a special ringtone for her girlfriend. Noting the look on Arizona's face Callie smiled. "Well, it is kind of fitting for you, Arizona."

Rounding a corner, Arizona saw her friend curled up on a gurney down the hall.

"Found her," Arizona called out.

As Arizona popped out her heelies and rolled over to the sleeping (or was it passed out?) Trauma surgeon, Teddy suddenly felt uneasy. Seomthing about the way Kayo was sleeping wasn't right. She'd known her friend long enough to know that Kayo was a "sprawler". Her arms and legs were usually flung out in all directions, or hanging off the edge of the bed. She'd never seen Kayo like she was right now; curled up in a near-fetal position, her arms folded across her chest almost as if she were hugging herself.

"Good, morning, Kayo," Arizona said as she reached the inert body.

"Arizona, I don't think…" Teddy tried to warn Arizona.

"Time to get up," Arizona continued perkily as she shook Kayo's shoulder.

Kayo suddenly thrust her arms out, swinging wildly, narrowly missing Arizona. The smaller woman stumbled backward to avoid being hit. As she did, she felt her feet roll out from under her and she lost her balance. Callie was only steps behind her and caught Arizona before she fell all the way to the floor.

"Hey!" Callie shouted. "What the hell's your problem, Dwyer?"

The Ortho surgeon attempted to push Arizona behind her, but the blonde was even more protective of Callie and her condition. She quickly positioned herself between Callie and Kayo.

"It's okay, Callie. I know better. I grew up around Marines. You'd think I'd remember not to wake a sleeping soldier."

"She's not a soldier, Arizona," Callie said coldly. "She's a doctor, and she's drunk. I can smell the tequila from here."

Teddy cautiously approached Kayo who still seemed to be fighting an unseen enemy. "Kayo!" she said in a loud, firm voice. "Kayo, wake up!"

The Cardio surgeon was slender, but she was wirey-strong and she grabbed Kayo's arms.

"Kayo! Stop!" You're safe now." She dropped her voice to a calmer tone. "You're safe. It's me. It's Bear. You're not in Iraq,"

Teddy's soothing, familiar voice calmed Kayo down and she snapped out of her nightmare.

"What? Where am I? Bear?" Kayo was groggy and confused and still a little drunk.

Teddy looked over her shoulder at Callie and Arizona. "I got this."

"I'm not leaving Teddy alone with the crazy woman," Callie said under her breath.

"Where the hell have you been, Kayo?" Teddy asked not all together kindly.

"Um… I crashed with that nurse from PICU… or was it NICU? Maybe it was ICU," Kayo tried to recall.

"Nurse? What nurse?" Arizona was a little intrigued. She mentally started running through a list of all the nurses she knew in PICU and NICU.

"Terry… Mary… Carrie… I can't really remember her name. She gave me a ride to the hospital this morning."

It was clear to all three doctors standing in front of Kayo that she'd done more than just 'crash' at Nurse _Terry-Mary-Carrie's_ place. Kayo's shirt was on inside-out and backwards, and there was a small hickey just above her collarbone.

"You are in no shape to be wandering the halls of the hospital," Teddy said, disapproval in her voice.

"I wasn't wandering. I was sleeping," Kayo said smugly.

"Whatever," Teddy replied with a slight rolling of her eyes.

Teddy and Arizona helped Kayo off the gurney. Arms folded across her chest, Callie kept a wary eye on the Trauma surgeon.

"You're going to take a shower, put on some clean clothes and sleep it off in my office."

The tone of the Cardio surgeon's voice left no room for argument. Arizona got the feeling that this wasn't the first tine her friends had gone through this process. She watched Teddy take a firm hold of Kayo's bicep. Arizona and Callie followed as Teddy steered Kayo toward the Attendings' locker room. Once in the room, Teddy gave Kayo a not-so-gentle nudge toward the showers.

"You take a nice, long hot shower and I'll get some clean scrubs for you."

"Wanna wash my back?" A still somewhat drunk Kayo asked, a lopsided grin on her face.

"Your 'charm' is wasted on me, Kayo," Teddy replied, closing the door to the showers.

Callie was obviously disgusted by Kayo's behavior and a little disconcerted by Arizona's apparent concern for her friend. Callie pulled Arizona aside as Teddy rummaged through Kayo's locker in an attempt to find clean clothes.

"Taking care of a drunk is not high on my list of priorities."

"Callie…"

"She's _your_ friend. I don't need to be involved." She leaned over and gave Arizona a quick peck on the cheek. "I'm gonna go call Addison. I'll change later, after I call."

"Lunch?" Arizona asked, unable to read Callie's mood. She seemed angry… or at least annoyed.

"Sure. Text me." She kissed Arizona again, adding an "I love you" to the end of it.

"Love you, too," Arizona replied.

While they waited for Kayo to finish with her shower, the two remaining surgeons changed into their scrubs.

"You've done this before," Arizona commented, tying her scrub bottoms.

"A few times," Teddy said with a tight smile. "First time since she got here, though." Teddy frowned. "The violence… that's something new."

"PTSD?"

"Probably." The taller woman pulled her scrub top on. "I don't think she even knows she took a swing at you." Teddy shuddered once. "I hate to think what would've happened if one of her fists had connected, Arizona. She could've really hurt you."

"Maybe one of us should suggest she speak with Dr. Wyatt. Didn't Owen see her?"

"Yes, but I doubt I can convince her to talk to anyone. She hasn't said one thing to me about what happened over there, how she got injured. Has she said anything to you?"

Arizona shook her head, blonde curls tossing with the movement of her head. "Not really. We've talked about Iraq, but never about what she went through."

"I think I need to make another unofficial call to our former company commander," Teddy mused, pulling her long hair out from under her top.

"If there's anything I can do, Teddy…"

"Yeah, there is. Don't wake her up again. You don't want a repeat of today's performance."

"That I can do." Arizona's face turned thoughtful. "I really do know better. I don't know what I was thinking. I forgot that Kayo hasn't been out of the Army all that long."

The door to the shower room swung open. Kayo stepped into the room, wearing fresh scrubs. Her short hair was wet and sticking out wildly, as if she'd just toweled it dry.

"You're looking better, Kayo, though you might want to put on a turtleneck," Arizona teased.

"What? Why?"

"And I'll leave you, Teddy, to explain that," Arizona said, opening the door to the hall. "I've got patients to see."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The morning flew by for Arizona as she had one scheduled surgery followed by an emergency appendectomy, which she'd let Lexie Grey perform. The more she worked with Lexie, the more impressed she was. The young woman was smart, and she clearly had some surgical skills. Arizona didn't think pediatric surgery was in Lexie's future, but she thought the resident would make a great general surgeon.

It was after one o'clock before she'd finally been able to take a break. She texted Callie, who was already in the cafeteria having a lunch. Spotting Teddy at the nurses' station, she strolled over to her friend.

"Had lunch yet?" the Peds surgeon asked.

"Just about to head down. Callie?"

"Already there," she stated as they headed for the cafeteria together. "How's Kayo?"

"Still sleeping it off, last I checked. I thought I'd take some lunch up to her."

"Sure she'll feel up to eating?" Arizona asked as she pushed the button for the first floor.

"If she's awake, she'll eat. She never gets sick from her hangovers; just tired and cranky."

"Lucky her."

As soon as they reached the cafeteria, Arizona began searching for Callie. Spying her sitting with Mark, Owen, Cristina and Meredith, she turned to Teddy. "Go ahead and get in line. I'll meet you in a few."

"Sure, blow me off for your girlfriend. I know how it is, Arizona." Teddy said with a laugh. "I seem to recall you telling me something about not cancelling plans for someone else?"

"I'm just going to say 'hi' to her."

"Uh huh," Teddy said skeptically. "If you abandon me for an on-call tryst with Callie…"

"Trust me. Nothing like that is happening right now for us."

Teddy raised her eyebrows in shock. "Seriously? You mean… you're not… Really?"

"We're taking it slowly right now. Besides, Callie's had some light bleeding the past few days."

"Is she okay?" Teddy asked, the concern in her voice matching the concern on her face.

"Nothing out of the ordinary, according to Fields. Which is why Callie called – or was supposed to have called Addison today."

"Go ahead, then. Go talk to your girl. Do you want me to get you anything?"

"No, I won't be long."

While Teddy stood in line, Arizona made her way through the room and to Callie.

"Hey," she said softly, kissing Callie on the cheek.

"Hey yourself." Callie gently grasped the lapel on the blonde's lab coat and tugged her down for a longer kiss, one on the lips; a kiss that made Arizona nearly swoon.

"I see all is right again on Planet Lesbos," Cristina cracked when Arizona ended the kiss.

"I'm going to get my lunch," Arizona said, shooting a dark look to the Resident. "How much time do you have left of yours?" she asked Callie.

"Just got paged for a consult," Callie replied, standing up.

"Did you make your call?" Arizona inquired, her voice lower.

"Yes. She'll be here Thursday."

"Good. You can tell me about it later?"

"After work, for sure."

"Don't let me keep you from your patient," Arizona said, leaning to give Callie another quick kiss. "Love you."

"Love you, too."

After the two women parted, Arizona joined Teddy in line. She nudged her friend with her elbow. "I thought you'd be through the line by now."

"I'm waiting for them to bring out another pan of lasagna." She saw Arizona look down at the food that was already on her tray. "It's not all my mine. The banana and sandwich are for Kayo."

"Y'know, Teddy, not that I didn't already know it, but you are an awesome friend."

Teddy smiled and waved off her friend's compliment. "Kayo and I… our friendship is complicated. We always look out for one another."

"Seems to me you've been taking care of Kayo more."

"We have a long history," Teddy tried to explain. "You're just seeing one moment in our friendship. She's done her fair share of looking out for me, too."

"Well, Kayo does seem loyal and protective of her friends."

"She is." Teddy's eyes perked up at the sight of fresh lasagna being placed out. In her opinion, it was one of the few things that was edible at lunch time. "Finally," she sighed, grabbing a plate of lasagna and a slice of garlic bread.

After paying for their food, the two friends found an empty table near the back of the room. Arizona picked at her salad, sorry she hadn't chosen what her friend had.

"So, how are things between you and Callie?" Teddy asked between bites. "You seem to be getting along."

"It's getting there. I think we're both starting to feel comfortable around each other, more relaxed." Arizona picked up her drink. "It feels more like _us_."

"I'm happy for you, Arizona, but as your friend, I have to ask you again."

"What, Teddy?"

"Are you sure this is what you want to do?"

"Yes," Arizona answered with more conviction than Teddy had heard previously.

"Okay. I won't ask again."

"Thank you."

The sound of beeping caused both women reach for their respective pagers. Teddy frowned and Arizona sighed in relief.

"I gotta go. 911 to the pit," the taller woman said, standing up. "Can you take Kayo her lunch?"

"Sure. Go."

"Thanks."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After she finished her limp salad, and stealing the last few bites of Teddy's lunch, Arizona got a bag to put Kayo's lunch in. Adding a bottle of water to the bag, she headed for Teddy's office. As she left the elevator, she spotted her girlfriend.

"How'd your consult go?" Arizona asked Callie.

"Wasn't needed," Callie replied. "Some intern overreacted. Any third-year resident could've taken care of it." She fell into step with Arizona as she walked down the hall. "Where are you going?" she asked, noting the brown paper bag in the blonde's hand.

"Taking lunch to Kayo."

Callie stopped walking, her smile rapidly fading. "Taking lunch to _her_?"

Realizing that Callie was no longer walking, Arizona halted. "Teddy asked me to drop it off when she got paged."

"Are you sure that's such a good idea?"

"Why not?"

"Taking lunch to a woman who took a swing at you?" Callie scoffed.

"Callie, you know that wasn't personal."

"She was drunk, Arizona."

"Not really… not that much," she quickly amended. "It was PTSD."

"Oh, even better," Callie said with a slight rolling of her eyes. "How do you know it's PTSD?"

"Kayo was wounded in Iraq. She's got some horrible looking scars."

Callie's mind raced with thoughts about Arizona and the Trauma surgeon. _How would Arizona know about GI Jane having scars? I've never seen anything visible, anything obviou. Has Arizona seen them? Just where are these scars anyway?_

"You've seen her scars?" Callie's jealousy ratcheted up a notch. "How did you happen to see her scars?"

"Teddy told me about them, and I had a glance at them while I was at Teddy's."

"Uh huh," Callie voice her disbelief with sarcasm. "So tell me, Arizona, since we're being all honest and upfront about everything, did anything happen between you and GI Jane?"

Arizona gave Callie a sharp look. "You really want to have this conversation now?"

Callie nodded once, her jaw set. Arizona sighed before pulling her girlfriend into the nearest on-call room. She wasn't sure how much she really needed to divulge. It wasn't like she and Kayo had really slept together. _Well, we did sleep in the same bed, but we stopped. Kissing someone isn't the same as having sex with them. Callie doesn't really need to know about the kissing. It's not like we actually… it's not the same as what Callie and Mark did, _she thought self-justifying her actions.

"If you're asking what I think you're asking, then no. I did not have sex with Kayo."

Callie looked Arizona squarely in the eye. She could usually tell when Arizona was lying and she didn't see any signs of deception. Giving a little sigh of relief, Callie took Arizona's hand.

"I wouldn't blame you if you had, y'know. I was awful to you and we _were_ broken up."

"Callie, I love you. You're it for me. You're all I want." Arizona squeezed Callie's hand. "From the moment I kissed you in a dirty bar bathroom, there's been no one but you."

"I love you, too, Arizona." She pulled Arizona into her arms. "What's on your schedule?"

"I've got one scheduled surgery this afternoon, then charting. I think Stark's got me doing the evening rounds, so I'll be a little late getting home."

"I'll wait."

"No, Callie, you make sure you get home and get a good dinner. If you're not on call tonight…"

"I'm not. Are you?"

"No, but tomorrow I'm on call after my shift."

"Then I'll see you when you get home?"

"Yes. I'll text you if I'm going to be late."

Callie gave Arizona one more kiss. "And Arizona?" she paused at the door.

"Yes?"

"You be careful around Dwyer."

Arizona stopped herself from reacting to Callie's jealousy masked as concern. "I will," she agreed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As Arizona rounded the corner near Teddy's office, she caught a glimpse of Kayo heading into the stairwell. She surmised her friend was heading for the helipad for a smoke. _Well, at least I don't have to worry about waking her up and having her take a swing at me_, she thought as she climbed the stairs.

She watched Kayo from the doorway for a moment. Kayo's shoulders were slumped, her head hanging down and she was taking a deep drag off her cigarette. She wasn't wearing a coat and the light misty rain that was falling didn't seem to be bothering her.

"How's the hangover?" Arizona said, false cheeriness in her voice.

Kayo spun around. "What are you doing here?"

"Lunch delivery courtesy of Teddy," she answered, holding the bag up.

Kayo's eyes narrowed into dangerous slits but her posture remained relaxed. "Shouldn't you be off kissing ass to baby mama?"

Arizona was surprised at Kayo's comment, but not shocked. Kayo really hadn't said anything to her about the 'situation' other than a few comments. Still… the depth of her anger (if that's what it was) did surprise her just a little bit.

Hanging back, the blonde took a deep breath before replying. "I know you don't understand and I know it doesn't make any sense but... I love Callie and I'm gonna keep fighting for her, for us."

Kayo made no attempt to hide her disappointment in what she thought was Arizona's too hasty decision to go back to Callie. She thought the Latina had treated Arizona badly and she had her doubts about Callie really being with Arizona for the right reasons. "She doesn't deserve you," she said, her voice curt.

A little taken aback by Kayo's words, Arizona nonetheless plowed on. "Maybe. Maybe not. That's for fate to decide. Right now, though, I need you, Kayo. I need your friendship now more than words can express. Callie has Mark and this entire hospital behind her because I was the idiot who dumped her in an airport. I'm still the bad guy. I need a friend who isn't friends with Callie, too. Can you do that? For me?" Arizona pulled out her best dimple popping smile.

Kayo groaned softly as she threw her cigarette in the coffee can she used as an ashtray. There was no resisting Arizona Robbins' dimples. "I... I'll try."

"That's all I ask." Arizona held out the bag once more. "Now come in out of the rain and eat your lunch."

"Yes, 'mom'," Kayo said with a half-smirk as she took the bag and followed Arizona back to the stairwell.

Before they started back down the stairs, Arizona gently grasped Kayo's hard arm. "Thank you, Kayo."

"For what?"

"For being my friend, for worrying about me."

"You don't have to thank me for that. We're friends. I'll always look out for you, Arizona."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Long day?" Arizona asked as she hung up her lab coat in her locker.

"Yeah," Teddy replied with a sigh. "Yang and I spent two hours trying to save a patient with a aortic aneurysm only to have it blow on the table."

Arizona gave her friend a sympathetic look before she pulled off her scrub top. "Are you going to talk to Kayo tonight?"

"If not tonight, soon," Teddy sighed, pulling on her jeans, then tucking her blouse in.

"I don't envy you," Arizona commented as she tossed her scrub top into the laundry bag.

"I don't know if I even want to know what happened. Just hearing about it…"

"Drags up all kinds of memories for you, doesn't it?"

"Yeah. It wasn't fun over there. I was one of the lucky ones. I got out relatively unscathed. Owen… he has his own demons to battle. I know what he went through. I wasn't there when it happened, but I was there afterward."

Teddy put one foot up on the bench to tie her shoe. She looked over her shoulder as the door pushed open. Kayo gave her friends a half-smile and went to her own locker.

"We got anything at home to eat, Bear or do we need to stop at the grocery store?" she asked, looking down and purposefully not at the partially undressed Peds surgeon. When she'd walked into the room and saw Arizona in her bra and scrub bottoms, she couldn't help but recall the last time she'd seen Arizona half-dressed. She didn't want anymore awkward moments to happen.

"We can stop for groceries or we can grab take-out. It's up to you."

"Take-out? I don't feel like cooking tonight."

Teddy noticed Kayo kept her eyes averted from Arizona while the Peds surgeon finished changing out of her scrubs. She started to make a mental note to talk to Kayo about it but a faint buzzing noise distracted her.

"It's mine," Arizona said, reaching for her phone that sat on the shelf in her locker. Seeing a text from Callie, she opened the phone.

7:52 No bleeding for 24 hours – C

Arizona wondered about the ramifications of that text. _Does it mean Callie wants to have sex or does it mean she doesn't need Addison to come up now? God, I hope it's the former. I know it's only been one day of being back in the same bed, but I don't know how much longer I can hold out. I don't know what's been worse – some touching or no touching at all._

"Arizona?" Teddy's voice broke into her thoughts.

"I'm sorry. What?"

"Did you want to join us for dinner?"

Arizona's phone buzzed again. Looking down at the latest message from Callie she smiled.

7:56 You. Me. Naked. Bed. Now. I'm waiting. – C

"Uh, I, uh… no… no, thank you. I gotta go," Arizona answered, flustered with the thoughts of a naked Callie waiting in bed for her.

"Oh, I know that look," Teddy teased. "Go."

Arizona grabbed her purse and her bag. "See you tomorrow," she called out as she hurried out of the room.

Kayo watched Arizona's odd behavior as she darted from the locker room. She met Teddy's gaze with an arched eyebrow.

Teddy shook her head with a small laugh. "Don't ask, Kayo. Don't ask and I won't tell," she said directing her friend to towards the exit.

Kayo rolled her eyes over Teddy's lame attempt at military humor. "Gross, Bear," she muttered, unsure if it was the hangover which was turning her stomach or the thought of Arizona getting frisky with her pregnant girlfriend. Kayo was certain of one thing, though and that was if she was going to be privy to knowledge of Arizona's sex life with Callie, she was going to need A LOT of alcohol.


	16. Special Note

Yes, I'm going to do something I swore I'd never do – post a message instead of a chapter. I just felt the need to address something that seems to have everyone in a bit of a tizzy.

Lately, many of us who write calzona stories have had reviews posted to our stories, threatening to have our stories removed because of the content.

_**Guest 7/2/12 . chapter 15 **_

_**You have 24 hours to remove all smut from your story. At the end of this if you have not complied, we will be forced to take care of this ourselves. Do not test our abilities, we have already removed more than one popular story from this site and will continue to do so until all authors follow the rules. 24 hours, don't mess with is because we will get you banned**_

Clearly this "person" has not read my story as I've yet to post anything graphic in my story (soon, readers, very soon LOL)

From what I discovered while poking around a few days ago is that the same warnings are not being posted on other M rated stories that aren't calzona. I assumed that this warning was posted by some unhappy people (person?). While I still believe this to be the case, there may also be some basis to this "reviewer"'s belief that they can threaten writers. As another writer/reader pointed out, recently posted this:

_**Please note we would like to clarify the content policy we have in place since 2002. follows the Fiction Rating system ranging from Fiction K to Fiction M. Although Fiction Ratings goes up to Fiction MA, since 2002 has not allowed Fiction MA rated content which can contain adult/explicit content on the site. only accepts content in the Fiction K through Fiction M range. Fiction M can contain adult language, themes and suggestions. Detailed descriptions of physical interaction of sexual or violent nature is considered Fiction MA and has not been allowed on the site since 2002.**_

Well, if this has been their policy since 2002, they haven't really been enforcing it – or enforcing it consistently. There's some pretty graphic stuff out there – extreme in some cases. Why Calzona fanfics are being targeted makes me wonder if someone read this notice from and decided to take upon themselves to act as judge and jury. Just thinking…

Anyway, I will continue to post to until they either ban me, my story is finished, or my readers die of boredom.

As many of you know, I also post to LiveJournal, and I will continue to do so. At least on that account I won't fear censorship by someone else's misguided prejudice. For those of you who want to know, my LiveJournal account is captstarbuck **(put dot here)** livejournal **(put dot here)** com If you want to continue reading my story (and I certainly love that some of you do) make a note of my LiveJournal account just in case my story "disappears".

I'm done with my own rant now. Thanks for listening.


	17. Avoidance

Nothing Comes Easily by captstarbuck

**AN: This is, for the most part, Calzona, but Arizona-centric, with lots of other Grey's characters, especially Arizona's friendship with Teddy. It's slightly AU/Mostly Canon – Starts just before Arizona returns from Africa and varies a bit in the story of bringing them back together. Let's just say I bend the timeline and modify a few scenes to suit my own purposes.**

**AN2: Thanks again to Stacy, my beta reader who has an infinite amount of patience (and spent quite a bit of time on the 'pronoun patrol'). Also a special thanks to ****pens_co927**** for the great suggestions and ideas. I think you're starting to know my story better than I do. **

**Disclaimers – All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual. **

Chapter Sixteen – Avoidance

Arizona waited impatiently for the elevator to carry her to the fifth floor of the apartment building. It always seemed to her that whenever she was in a hurry (and yes she was in a hurry, a _big_ hurry) that the elevator ran even more slowly than usual. When it finally reached her floor, she was already squeezing through before the doors had barely slid open.

Standing in front of the blue apartment door, she rummaged through her purse, trying to find her keys. Finally locating them, nervous fingers fumbled with them before they dropped to the floor.

"Damn," she swore, bending over to pick them up.

"In a hurry, Blondie?" said a voice from behind her.

"Go away, Mark," Arizona said, exasperation in her voice.

"What?" he asked, moving closer to her.

"Nothing."

"Really, what did you say?" he persisted, leaning against the wall by the door.

"I said, go away, Mark," she sighed, her keys jingling as she selected the right key for the door.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing. I'm tired, and I just want to spend some time with my girlfriend. _Alone_ with my girlfriend."

"Ooh… so you and Torres are getting it on again."

"Mark, that's none of your business."

"It is if it affects my child."

Arizona rolled her eyes as she inserted the key. "I'm a doctor, too, Mark, and Callie's in good hands. My hands." The door opened. "Good night, Mark."

Pushing the door open as it unlocked, Arizona was surprised to find a nearly dark apartment. Only the light over the stove was on. She expected to find Callie on the couch waiting for her. She dropped her purse onto the floor by the door. _Was Callie serious about being in bed… naked?_ she thought. As a sudden surge of arousal hit her, she quickly kicked off her shoes and dumped her jacket and jer purse on the couch. The Peds surgeon was usually far too anal to leave shoes and clothes just laying anywhere, but the prospect of Callie waiting in bed for her overwhelmed her normal (some would say obsessive) sensibility.

"Callie?" she called out, heading for the bedroom.

"In here."

Arizona pushed the door open and stopped dead in her tracks, her mouth dropping open. The bathroom door was open and it threw out dim light into the room. It was light enough, however, for Arizona to see Callie in bed, a sheet pulled up to where it was just covering the top of her breasts. Noting Callie's bare shoulders, Arizona swallowed hard, unable to speak or move.

"Like what you see?" Callie asked huskily.

"Um.. uh.. what?" Arizona stammered.

Callie tossed her head back and laughed, happy that she could still have that kind of effect on her girlfriend. She lowered her head and repeated in a sultry voice, "I said, do you like what you see?"

"Oh, yes… very much…" Arizona whispered, her voice unsteady.

"What are you waiting for?"

"Um… nothing?"

Callie leaned over and patted the bed beside her, the sheet dropping down, exposing more cleavage. The blonde's eyes widened, then darkened with lust. "Then you need to come to bed, Arizona."

"Okay… okay… I can do that…" Arizona stuttered. "Uh… just give me a minute," she said as she made her way to the bathroom. She cringed in embarrassment when she stumbled, but was relieved that she'd only tripped once. She could hear Callie chuckling at her clumsiness and was glad the room was dark enough to hide her red cheeks.

She closed the door behind her, leaning against it. "Holy crap!" she exhaled deeply.

She took several deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. She couldn't believe how nervous she felt; aroused and excited, but still nervous. With shaking hands, she pulled her clothes off and tossed them into the hamper. _I need to relax. Relax, right. Like that's going to happen. We haven't made love in months. What if it's not good… what if she… the last time for her was Mark_. Arizona cringed. _Stop thinking about that, about Mark_, she berated herself. _This is… it's Calliope. It's about us. It's about us, and loving each other_.

Taking another deep breath to settle her nerves, Arizona opened the bathroom door. A few quick steps and she was under the covers. She hesitantly turned on her side to face Callie. Instead of sliding immediately into Callie's arms, she hung back, remaining on her own side of the bed.

Callie closed the distance in an instant, her hand on the blonde's hip, then the small of her back. She gently rubbed her hand up and down Arizona's back, trailing her fingers down the spine. The Latina was surprised when her hand cupped Arizona's firm ass, Arizona leaned away from her.

"What's wrong?" she queried, her lips moving against Arizona's neck.

Arizona's hand tightened on Callie's arm, not pushing her away, but not pulling her in closer, either. "Can I just say that I'm nervous? Like really nervous. I don't think I've ever been this nervous," the blonde rambled. "I was nervous our time first ever, y'know, the night Alex and Izzie got married, but it was a different kind of nervous. I wasn't worried so much then. I don't even think I was this nervous the first time I ever, y'know, had sex."

Callie reached up and put her fingertips on Arizona's lips.

"Arizona?"

"What?"

"Less talking, more kissing."

"But…"

Callie silenced Arizona with a deep, yet still loving kiss.

For Arizona, Callie's lips and body pressing against her own was all she needed for her nerves to calm down. She sighed into the kiss, returning it with every bit of love that she felt.

Their kisses started out soft, but soon the blonde took control of the kiss. As she gently thrust her tongue into Callie's mouth, Arizona pushed into her, forcing the Latina onto her back. After a long kiss, one that left them both gasping for air, Arizona leaned back and stared into Callie's eyes. With her fingertips, she gently traced the curves of Callie's body, from her jawline, down her neck, and across her collar bones, before repeating the process.

"Arizona…" Callie whispered, her voice full of longing and need.

"Calliope…" she whispered back.

"Arizona… please…"

The blonde's lips and body crashed against her lover's. She tried to hold her passion back, but all she wanted at that moment was to make love to the woman she loved and would love to her dying days. She willed herself to slow down, curbing her eagerness. She trailed her lips and fingers over the caramel colored skin, recommitting every inch to memory. She lingered at Callie's breasts, her lips alternating from one to another. Letting Callie's breathing and moans guide her, she mixed up gentle touches with her tongue to almost painful bites with her teeth.

Arizona needed more, needed more of the woman beneath her. Giving each nipple one last kiss, she slowly trailed her tongue down the Latina's body. She could feel Callie twitch and shiver under her tongue and the blonde felt her own arousal seep out and down her legs.

As she nibbled and licked her way from one hip to the other, Callie let out a deep moan. The dark-haired woman's legs fell open and Arizona felt strong hands drop to her shoulders.

"Arizona… please… " she repeated.

_I so love making love to this woman_, the blonde thought as she kissed her way further down the darker skin. _I love every part of it. I love touching her_. Her fingers slid across Callie's hips and down her thighs as she lowered her face. _I love smelling her_. She inhaled deeply, Callie's arousal a heady perfume. _I love tasting her_. She tenderly and slowly dragged her tongue through the Latina's folds, causing a moan crossed with a whimper to escape from Callie's throat. She smiled. _I love hearing her_. As her mouth closed around Callie's clit, she looked up. _I love seeing her, especially like this_. Callie's head was thrown back and her chest heaved as she tried to gasp for air. Arizona believed with all her heart there was nothing sexier or awe-inspiring as seeing Callie aroused and excited.

"Oh, God, Arizona… "

The blonde continued to lavish attention on Callie's clit, remembering all the ways that pleased the Latina. She alternated soft licks with gentle sucking, throwing in an occasional nip. Each change brought Callie closer to the edge, her hips jerking and her hands tangling in the blonde tresses that covered her thighs and abdomen.

"Wait… wait…" Callie gasped as she teetered close to her climax. "I need…"

"What? Tell me, Calliope."

She felt a tug on on her arm as Callie looked down at her. "I need you up here with me, Arizona… I need to feel you…"

Arizona slowly slid her body upwards so she was laying between Callie's legs. She snaked her hand between them. Callie's barely-there baby bump caused the blonde to pause a moment before her hand continued its downward path. As Arizona's fingers began to stroke Callie, she began to kiss the Latina's neck.

"I love you, Calliope," she whispered as she pushed two fingers into her lover.

Callie gasped then moaned, her arms wrapping around the slender woman's back. Arizona rose up slightly onto her knees to give herself more leverage. She cautiously lowered the rest of her body onto Callie's, their breasts crushing against one another's. As she began kissing Callie's neck and shoulders, Arizona gradually began thrusting a little faster and a little deeper. She added her hips to the motion, a groan escaping from her own lips.

_Oh, God, it feels so good to touch Callie again… to be inside of her_, she thought as she began to lose herself in the rhythmic thrusting.

"Oh, God… Arizona… more… it's so good…" Callie moaned.

Arizona pushed her fingers deeper into Callie, deeper than she'd ever been. Her hips rocked forward, matching the motion of her fingers. Callie's arms and legs were both now wrapped around Arizona, holding her as close to her body as possible.

"Don't stop, Arizona… don't stop… you feel so good… don't stop…" Callie babbled, her feelings beginning to overwhelm her.

"Never… never…" Arizona groaned.

She began to drive harder and faster into the Latina, her hips matching the drive of her fingers. Each movement brought the heel of her hand against Callie's clit, causing Callie's hips to buck with every thrust.

"Oh, Arizona… I'm gonna… oh, God… Arizona… so… so… that's it… don't stop… oh, God… yes… yes… Arizona!"

After one final push from Arizona, Callie's back arched up from the bed. Arizona's fingers continued to slide in and out of the Latina, but she gradually slowed the pace, easing Callie down from her orgasm.

She buried her face against Callie's neck, kissing it as she felt the tremors slowly subside. When Callie's body stilled, she lifted her head and looked down at Callie. Seeing tears in the Latina's eyes and on her cheeks, Arizona panicked.

"Oh, God, Calliope. Are you all right? Did I hurt you?" she asked worriedly, pulling away.

"I'm good… it was perfect… so good…" Callie reached up and tugged the blonde back down.

"Are you sure?"

"More than sure." Callie's smile was wide and full of love. "I love you, Arizona… and I've missed you… this… so much," she said, kissing Arizona.

"I love you, too."

Arizona's hand drifted upward, her hand came to a stop on Callie's slightly rounder belly. Just looking at Callie, one couldn't tell that she was almost three months pregnant. But by touch alone, Arizona could. She gently stroked the skin, her blue eyes locked on her lover's dark eyes.

"I love you, Calliope."

She lifted herself up and moved so she could lay quick tender kisses on Callie's belly. Realizing what Arizona was doing brought a new wave of tears to the Latina's eyes. She reached down and pulled the blonde back up, crushing her lips with her own.

"I love you, Arizona," she said against the blonde's lips. "And now I want to show you how much I love you and missed you."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Arizona had April and Alex take care of the post-op care. She was exhausted. With the marathons she and Callie had been having between the sheets for the past week, plus the insane schedule she had, the Peds surgeon was just worn out. Spotting Teddy, still dressed in her scrub cap and gown, standing at the nurses' station with a stack of charts, Arizona smiled and walked over to her,

"Hey," the Peds surgeon said, nudging her friend.

"Hey yourself, stranger," Teddy replied, closing one chart. "Haven't seen much of you this past week."

"Lots of surgeries, crazy hours. You know how it is," Arizona apologized.

"Uh huh," Teddy said, her voice laden with skepticism. "And I suppose being back with Callie has nothing to do with it, either?"

"Well, yes. We do have a lot of lost time to make up for," Arizona answered with a smug smile.

"Mmmhmm." Teddy picked up another chart. "I just bet you do."

Seeing Bailey rounding the corner, Arizona stepped to the other side of Teddy. The Cardio surgeon looked at her friend, confusion on her face.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing," Arizona replied in a guilty tone, maneuvering so that Teddy's body was blocking her view of Bailey.

"You just ducked from Bailey. Are you hiding from her?"

"Yes," Arizona whispered.

"Why? What did you do, Arizona?"

"Um, well, she's walked in on Callie and I in the on-call rooms three times this week."

"Three times?" Teddy's eyebrows shot up. "Well, that explains Bailey's rampage this week. I thought it was just Kayo she was busting." Teddy shook her head. "Three times, huh?"

"That she caught us." Arizona smiled. "It wasn't so bad the first two times. I mean, it wasn't like we were really doing anything, just, you know, _making out_."

"And the third time?" Teddy teased.

The shorter woman's face flushed bright red. "Oh, God, Teddy, Bailey's timing couldn't have been worse," she said, remembering what she and her girlfriend had been doing. "Well, maybe just a little bit worse," she rambled. "We were right in the middle… I mean, Callie was… and I was… and I couldn't get the covers up –"

"Stop." Teddy held her hand up. "TMI, Arizona. You don't have to say anything else, please. I get the picture." Teddy shook her head again as if trying to erase the picture of the two women having sex in the on-call room. "Don't you know how to lock a door?"

"We have been. It's just those three times, we were kinda in a hurry, and forgot."

"Those three times? There have been more?"

"Well, yeah," Arizona said, a hint of pride in her voice. "Remember, lost time to make up."

"You two are as bad as Kayo. Bailey's walked in on her I don't know how many times this week." She smiled at her friend. "Yeah, it's probably a good idea you stay out of Bailey's sight for a little while. Maybe stay out of on-call rooms for awhile, too."

"Kinda hard to do. I've got a hormonal girlfriend who seems to have hit that stage in her pregnancy where I can't get any rest because she can't get enough."

"Arizona, Callie's not far enough along in her pregnancy to blame it on the hormones."

"That's for an average pregnancy. There is nothing average about this pregnancy or Callie."

Teddy had to agree with the Peds surgeon. Nothing about the situation was typical or normal, but she still thought Arizona and Callie were using sex as a way to avoid talking.

"You want to grab a cup of coffee?" Arizona asked.

"Sure. I've got some time before my next surgery," Teddy replied, taking her scrub cap off. "Unless you've got _other_ plans," she teased.

"No, not right now," Arizona said, her cheeks turning a faint pink. "That'll be later today. Callie's not here right now. She's working tonight."

"So, other than the, uh, 'reacquainting' that's been going on, how's everything else between the two of you?" Teddy asked as they entered the elevator.

"Good, I guess. Not a lot of talking going on right now." The shorter blonde smirked.

"Sounds like you need to pop another bubble."

"What?"

"You're living in a bubble, a sex bubble."

"But it's such a great bubble," Arizona sighed. "It's exhausting, but so, _so_ good."

Teddy rolled her eyes. "You both have a lot to work on, Arizona," she lightly chastised.

"I know, but for now, just for a little while, I want to enjoy the reconnecting." As they exited the elevator, Arizona added, "and the _reconnecting_ has been fantastic, mind-blowing, even."

"I did not need to know that," Teddy said exasperated.

They walked up to the coffee cart in the lobby, knowing that the coffee in the cafeteria this late in the afternoon was horrid.

"So how's Kayo?" Arizona asked, stirring her coffee. "I haven't seen her lately, other than up on the OR floor or in the pit."

"To be honest, I don't know. She hasn't been home all that much. When she's not using on-call rooms or supply closets, she's chasing surgeries like a second-year resident. Being on the bench just about killed her. She's trying to make up for her own lost time."

"Did you ever talk to her about the PTSD?"

"I tried, but she shut me down immediately."

"I thought it was just me."

"What?"

"I think she's been avoiding me."

"She's avoiding everyone unless they've got a surgery for her, or an empty on-call room," Teddy said, disapproval in her voice. "I think she and I are going to have a little 'come-to-Jesus' meeting soon." Teddy turned to Arizona. "And if you don't pop that bubble soon, you and I are going to have that same meeting."

Teddy's voice didn't match the smile on her face.

"Teddy…"

"Seriously, Arizona. You're running out of time. You've got, what, six or seven months?"

"We'll be fine," Arizona replied, ever the optimist.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Hold the door, please," Arizona called out as she hurried for the elevator. "Thanks," she said as she darted between the doors being held.

"No problem," said a familiar voice.

"Oh, hi, Kayo."

"Arizona," the Trauma surgeon replied with a half-grunt.

"Long time, no see."

"Yep."

"So, got any plans tonight?"

"Not really, why?"

"Want to go to Joe's and grab a burger and a beer? My treat."

"I suppose."

"Geez, don't sound so enthusiastic about it," she teased. She gently elbowed Kayo as they walked out of the elevator, adding her trademark dimpled smile. She was pleased that Kayo returned a smile, even if it was small.

"What about… Torres?" There was a slight hesitation in Kayo's voice.

"Callie has to work tonight. She won't be home until late."

Once at Joe's, they seated themselves at a booth near the back. As it wasn't too crowded, a young blonde waitress immediately came over to take their order.

"Hi, Dr. Robbins." She turned to Kayo, a smile on her face. "Hi, Kayo."

"Jennifer."

Arizona looked from one woman to the other, realizing that Jennifer was one of Kayo's… _what? Conquests? One-night-stands? Trysts? What was she supposed to call it?_

"What can I get you?"

"Two burgers, a basket of fries and two drafts?" Kayo said looking at Arizona.

"Sounds good to me."

"I'll get your order in and bring your beer right out."

"Thanks, Jen," Kayo said, adding a wink.

Once the waitress left, Arizona looked at Kayo with a disbelief. "Really, Kayo?"

"What?"

"I'm not stupid. I know Jennifer's gay, but she's barely legal. Isn't that a little young for you?"

"It's not like we're dating or anything." Kayo smiled. "We just had a very pleasant time after hours one night."

The blonde rolled her eyes. "You are as bad… no, I think you're worse than Mark Sloan."

Kayo's face darkened with her disgust. "I'm nothing like him."

"Um, yeah, you are. Just a little bit."

Kayo bit back her first thought. _At least I don't get them pregnant_.

"Well, for your information, she's not a kid," Kayo defended herself. "She's twenty-five, got a bachelor's in chemistry and is putting herself through grad school while working here. Did you know that?" Noticing the look on her friend's face, Kayo added with a blunt tone, "I do talk to them, Arizona. I don't just screw them."

Jennifer returned, setting the glasses of beer down. She gave Kayo another smile before leaving to check on their burgers.

"Can I ask you something, Kayo?" Arizona asked after taking a sip of her beer.

"What?"

"Have you been avoiding me?"

"No."

"Because I don't want you to think you have to because of the punch. I've forgotten about it."

"What are you talking about?"

"The punch. I know you didn't mean it."

"Arizona, honest to God, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Last week, when I woke you up." Seeing the bewilderment that was still on Kayo's face, Arizona continued. "You were asleep – passed out, actually – on the gurney in the hall. I woke you up. I guess you were having a nightmare because you took a couple of swings at me."

The confusion on Kayo's face was replaced with a look of horror and embarrassment. "I did what? I tried to punch you? Oh, Christ, Arizona, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, Kayo," she said, putting her small hand atop Kayo's larger one. "I know you didn't mean it." She gave Kayo's hand a squeeze before releasing it.

Jennifer returned to their table with their burgers. Kayo pushed her plate aside, her appetite gone for the moment. She drained the rest of her beer and signaled for another.

"Arizona, really, I didn't know. I'm so very sorry."

"Kayo, it's not like you did it on purpose. Besides, I know better than to sneak up on a sleeping soldier."

"I'm not a soldier, Arizona. Not anymore."

"Well, you are when you're dreaming." Arizona popped a fry into her mouth. "Can I put ketchup on the fries?"

"What, yeah, sure whatever."

After gulping down half of the new beer that Jennifer brought over, Kayo was finally able to face Arizona. "Why didn't you say anything to me?"

"I just thought you were avoiding me because you were embarrassed."

"Well, I'm embarrassed now."

"Don't be. You were sleeping. I didn't take it personally." Arizona grabbed a few more fries from the basket. "Wait, so if you weren't avoiding me because of that, why _have_ you been avoiding me?"

"I haven't been avoiding you."

"Are you mad at me?"

"Of course not."

"'cause it kinda seems like you are."

"No, I'm not mad at you."

"But?"

"But nothing."

"There's something you want to say, isn't there?" Arizona persisted.

Kayo pulled her plate back over and took a big bite out of the burger. She contemplated what she was going to say to Arizona as she chewed. She wanted to be supportive of Arizona's decision to go back to Callie, but she also felt that as her friend, she needed to be honest.

"Kayo, we're friends. You can tell me anything."

The Trauma surgeon took another bite, then washed it down with a large swallow of beer. She finally looked up and her eyes met two blue eyes looking back at her with friendly concern.

"Arizona, what I have to say to you… you may not want to hear."

"Kayo, I trust you. You're one of my best friends. You wouldn't say or do anything to deliberately hurt me."

"I still think you're making a mistake," Kayo blurted. "I was all for you getting back together with Torres at first, but now, with a baby and the manwhore in the mix? I don't know Arizona."

"I love her, Kayo."

"I know you do." Kayo finished her beer. "But does she love you? Tell me, if she wasn't pregnant and scared, do you think she would have still asked you back?"

"Yes." The blonde's voice was firm. "It may have taken a little longer, but we would have eventually got back together."

"Do you trust her?"

"Trust her? With what?"

"With your heart, Arizona. Do you trust her to not hook up again with Sloan?"

"Yes. I love Callie and she loves me." Arizona slid her empty plate to the side, and placed her elbows on the table. "She's it for me, Kayo", she said earnestly. "I feel like I can't breathe without her. She's the other half of me."

"I just want to… I need to know that you're it for her, Arizona."

"You know what it's like to be in love, Kayo. It's everything."

"No, I don't."

"What? You don't what?"

"That 'in love' crap." Kayo sought Jennifer's attention to order another round of beers, but the younger woman had her back to them. "I don't know what it's like, nor do I ever have any intention to." She turned her gaze back to Arizona, who sat there with her mouth slightly open and a distressed look on her face.

"You don't believe in love?"

"It's fine for the rest of you. For me, no, I don't."

"That's… that's just sad, Kayo."

"No, it's not. It's how I choose to live my life. I like my life just fine the way it is."

Arizona didn't know what to say to Kayo. The sound of her phone ringing broke her away from her thoughts. She instinctively smiled when she saw who it was.

"Hey… at Joe's… Having dinner with Kayo… Calliope… No!… What, really?… uh, huh… "

Kayo tried not to listen to the conversation Arizona was having with her girlfriend. It wasn't a stretch for her to figure out what they were talking about when the blonde's cheeks reddened. She tapped Arizona on the arm to get her attention.

"Just a sec, Callie," Arizona said, holding the phone to her chest.

"Be right back," Kayo said, getting up.

"I'm sorry," Arizona said. "Just give me a minute."

"Take your time. I'm gonna go get another round."

Arizona watched Kayo walk away, before returning to her call. "When will you be home?… I'll be waiting… Love you, too."

Kayo tossed a shot of tequila back and ordered another. _Maybe I need to just mind my own business. I've got to learn to trust Arizona. If this is what she wants, then I've got to stand by her_. She quickly downed a second shot. _Yeah, I'll just hope for the best for the two of them, and pray that I don't have to pick up any pieces of a broken heart later_.

As soon as she saw Arizona set her phone down, she returned to the table with another glass of beer for them both.

"I suppose you'll be leaving soon. Got time for one more before your booty call?" she asked, setting the beer down on their table and sliding back into her seat.

Arizona blushed, a little embarrassed with Kayo knowing, well, guessing what Callie had been saying to her.

"It's not… "

"No, don't even try to lie, Arizona," Kayo teased. "Your girlfriend was sexing you up on the phone."

"Well… I… "

"It's okay. You can go. I wouldn't stay if I were you. No way I'd pass that up."

"Are you sure?" Arizona asked, putting her coat on.

"Go."

Arizona picked up her purse. "Coffee tomorrow? After rounds?"

"Sure. We haven't done that in a while. That'd be nice. Text me."

"Are you sure you don't mind me leaving?" Arizona asked again.

"Go," Kayo repeated. "I'll be fine. Maybe I'll give Bear a call. I think her shift ends soon."

"Yeah, that'd be a good idea, since you seem to be avoiding her, too."

"Theodora Altman needs to mind her own damned business," Kayo said gruffly.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Pulling her cell phone out of her purse, Arizona pushed open the door to the Attending's locker room. _Callie is going to kill me, but I've got no choice. I can't ignore my patient_. Seeing Kayo, she sighed in relief.

"Hey, are you working right now?" she asked the Trauma surgeon.

"Nope. Just finished. Why?"

"I need you to do me a big favor," the blonde said, kicking off her shoes as she hung up her coat.

"What?"

"Callie's surgery is running long, and I just got called back in," she explained, taking a scrub shirt from the stack.

"And?"

"And I'm supposed to be picking Addison up at the airport. Can you do it?"

"I dunno, Arizona. I've kinda got plans to meet some of the nurses for drinks."

"Hey, you owe me, Kayo. After all, you did take a swing at me," she said with a dimpled smile. "The least you can do is pick up my girlfriend's friend at the airport."

Kayo cringed, then realized Arizona was teasing her. "Had to pull out the guilt card, huh?"

"I don't always play fair, Kayo, especially when I'm in a bind." She flashed her dimples once more as she tugged her sweater off and pulled on the scrub top.

"When do I have to leave?" Kayo sighed.

"Like, right now," she replied with some urgency.

"I don't even know who she is," Kayo commented, taking her coat out of her locker. "How will she know to look for me?"

"I'll leave a voice mail and tell her to look for a tall woman wearing scrubs and a Seattle Grace jacket."

"Don't forget hot – devastatingly hot," Kayo said with a grin as she zipped up her coat.

Arizona smirked at her friend. "Addison's straight."

"What does she look like?"

"Tall, well-dressed woman with red hair." Arizona reached into her purse. "Here. Take my car," she said, handing Kayo a set of keys. "It's got GPS in case you get lost."

"And after I pick her up?"

"We're putting her up at the Archfield. Could you drop her off there and then text me?"

"Sure. No problem," Kayo replied, taking the keys from Arizona. "See you later."

Arizona hurriedly finished changing into her scrubs. After checking on her patient in pre-op, she headed into OR2 where Callie was still operating with Teddy and Cristina. She put on her pink scrub cap and grabbed a mask, holding it in front of her mouth and nose. Teddy was the first to spot her and she nodded hello. Callie was engrossed in her own procedure and didn't see the Peds surgeon.

"Hey," Arizona said softly not wanting to startle Callie.

"What are you doing here, Arizona? You're supposed to be picking Addison up at the airport." Callie asked, without taking her eyes off the pins she was placing.

"I got called back into surgery just as I was getting ready to leave. I've only got a minute before I have to get into the OR."

"What about Addison?"

"It's covered. Kayo's picking her up."

Callie remained silent and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Fine," she finally said, her voice somewhat cool.

"Callie…"

"I'm trying to work, Arizona, and you have your own surgery to get to."

Arizona made a face behind the mask she was holding up, then left the room. It wasn't the time or the place for either of them to argue any further.

"Damned GI Jane," Callie muttered, but not quietly enough that Teddy and Cristina couldn't hear her.

"You don't like her very much, do you?" Teddy asked as she worked.

"No," Callie readily admitted.

"And that makes no sense to me because she's basically a female Mark Sloan," Teddy added.

"She's just… everywhere Arizona is," Callie continued, not really hearing what Teddy had said. "She's always meeting Arizona for coffee," the Latina said, recalling how she'd seen Arizona and Kayo at the coffee cart earlier in the day.

"Like Mark and you."

Callie looked up from the bone she was working on. "And lunch. I almost never have lunch with just Arizona anymore."

"And Arizona almost never has dinner with you, without Mark," Teddy pointed out.

"They go out for drinks at Joe's when I'm working."

"Don't mean to join the chorus, Cal, but isn't that what you and Sloan do?" Cristina said.

"Whatever," Callie said, dismissing what Teddy and Cristina said.

"And don't even get me started about the punch she threw," Callie said after a few minutes of silence other than surgical instructions.

Cristina's eyes widened at Callie's last statement. "GI Jane threw a punch at you?" she asked in disbelief. The lesbian drama in the hospital just got better as far as Cristina was concerned.

"No, not me, Arizona. But that's not the point."

"Callie, you know that she didn't mean it," Teddy said, defending her friend. "She was having a nightmare and Arizona woke her up."

The cardio resident felt like she was missing a big piece of a very large puzzle. "What was Roller Girl doing waking up Dr. Dwyer?"

"It's a long story, and it's not what you think, Yang," Teddy said, hoping to cut down on the gossip that was sure to fly around the hospital after the surgery was completed.

"Well then someone tell me what the story is," Cristina demanded.

"It really isn't any of your business, Cristina," Callie said coldly. "I don't like her, and I don't trust her."

"I do," Cristina blurted, surprising everyone in the surgical suite.

"What?" Teddy was astonished.

"She's hardcore. She's all about the surgery."

"You just like her because she drinks with you, Cristina," Callie pointed out.

"Have you ever even given her a chance?" Teddy asked.

"I know she's your friend, Teddy… and Arizona's. It doesn't mean she has to be _my_ friend, too."

"If that's the way you feel, then it's only fair that Arizona shouldn't have to be Mark's friend."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kayo had arrived at the airport with just enough time to park and get inside the terminal. She leaned back against the wall and watched the passengers file through the gate. She kept an eye out for a woman who matched the description Arizona had given her, ignoring the curious stares of the passengers who walked by. When she noticed a tall, slender, nicely dressed woman with red hair, she straightened up. The woman met her eyes and seemed to acknowledge Kayo, or at least the Seattle Grace jacket and scrubs she wore.

Kayo approached her, thinking to herself that Arizona's description hadn't done Dr. Montgomery justice. She'd left out the 'very attractive'.

"Dr. Montgomery?" she asked politely.

"Dr. Dwyer?"

"Kayo," she offered, holding out her hand.

"Addison," the red head replied, shaking Kayo's hand.

"Pleased to meet you. Did you check any baggage?"

"Just one."

Kayo smiled. _Here for three days and she checked a bag?_

Addison, ever observant, caught the smile on Kayo's face. "I never know what Callie has planned for me when I visit. I like to be prepared," she explained.

"Say no more." Kayo's grin widened.

The two women walked to the baggage claim area together.

"Flight okay?" Kayo asked, trying to make conversation.

"Yes, thanks. Callie always books me in first class when she's paying."

"Nice."

Addison spotted her suitcase and as she reached for it, Kayo cut her off and lifted it off the belt.

"I got it."

"Thank you, but that wasn't necessary."

Kayo shrugged her shoulders. "I'm parked in the short-term lot. Do you want to wait and I'll bring the car around?"

"No, the walk will be good for me."

They headed for the lot, walking in relative silence.

"How long have you been at Seattle Grace?" Addison asked.

"Oh, since Christmastime, I guess." Kayo smiled to herself. "I wasn't really expecting to work there."

"Why not?"

"I was just in town to visit Teddy Altman and Owen Hunt. I'd just gotten out of the Army and Altman invited me to stay with her. Owen ended up offering me a job."

"Specialty?"

"Trauma, though I'm double boarded in trauma and cardio."

Addison looked curiously at Kayo, putting it all together. _Kayo Dywer's the surgeon that Callie was ranting about when she came to visit. What was the nickname Callie had called her? GI Jane… that's it. GI Jane. _She sharpened her focus on the Trauma surgeon_. Callie also thought that Dr. Dwyer was seeing, no sleeping with, Arizona. I wonder if it's true?_

"So what's your connection with Seattle Grace, other than your friendship with Torres?" Kayo asked, putting Addison's suitcase in the backseat of Arizona's Range Rover.

Addison laughed out loud. "How much time do you have?"

"That good, huh?" Kayo retorted, opening the passenger door for Addison.

"You have no idea," she laughed again.

Kayo slid behind the wheel. "Oh, try me. I've been there long enough to know that nothing surprises me."

Addison grinned at Kayo's comment. "I used to work there."

"And?"

"I used to be married to Derek Shepherd."

The heavy traffic kept Kayo's eyes on the road, and not on the redhead beside her. "There's more to that story, I'm guessing."

"And, I was involved with Mark Sloan for a short time."

Kayo made a face. "Just when I thought I could say I liked you, Montgomery, you had to spoil it by bringing up the manwhore's name." She glanced at Addison, then turned her eyes back to the road. "I would've thought you'd have better taste than that."

"Trust me, so did I," Addison sighed. "So, how's Callie?"

"Okay, I guess."

Addison cocked one eyebrow, and stared at Kayo.

"Torres and I don't talk much. Let's just say I'm not one of her favorite people. I'm more Arizona's friend."

"Well, you seem all right to me. Why doesn't Callie like you?"

Kayo shrugged her shoulders. "She doesn't like how much time I spend with Arizona, and I don't like her with Sloan."

Kayo fell silent after her admission, deciding to focus her attention fully on the traffic.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After checking Addison into the Archfield, and still with no call from Arizona or Callie, Addison and Kayo went to Joe's for drinks and dinner. Kayo dropped Addison off at the bar before she returned Arizona's car to the doctors' parking lot at the hospital. Addison was waiting at a table, a glass of wine for herself and a shot and a beer for Kayo.

"Thanks," Kayo said, sitting down. "How'd you know what to order for me?"

Addison smirked. "You being a regular here has its advantages. I asked Joe what you liked, and once he stopped laughing, poured these for you."

Kayo's cheeks suddenly reddened, and she quickly drank the shot.

"Is there something you want to tell me, Kayo?" Addison teased.

"No," Kayo said, unable to look Addison in the eye.

"Because I got the feeling there's a story somewhere in Joe's laughter."

"Nothing to tell." Kayo pulled the bowl of peanuts over and began munching on a handful. "Have you ordered yet?"

"No, I thought I'd wait."

"Thanks." She sipped from her beer. "Any word from Torres?"

"Yes, she called just after you dropped me off. She and Arizona are on their way over."

"Ah, well, maybe I'll just head on home after I finish my beer."

"Why? Aren't you hungry?"

"I can grab something at home, or Bear and I will get some takeout."

"Bear?" Addison eyes squinted in confusion.

"Altman. Teddy Altman. I call her 'Bear'." Kayo took a long drink from her bottle of beer. "I live with her." Kayo saw a knowing look on the redhead's face and quickly corrected it. "Not _live _with, but just live with, you know?"

"No, I don't."

"As roommates. We're just friends; army buddies. We served together in Iraq," Kayo explained.

"Glad you cleared that up," Addison said with a teasing smile.

Kayo finished off her beer and started to get up. Addison put her hand out. "At least stay until Callie and Arizona get here."

"I guess I could stay and keep the riff-raff away from you."

"I'm more than capable of handling the seedier elements on my own." Addison picked up her wineglass and. "But you could just stay and keep me company."

"I can do that. Ready for another?" the Trauma surgeon asked, holding up her empty glass.

"Thank you, yes. Another glass of wine would be nice." She handed her glass to Kayo. "And when you come back, you can tell me about Iraq."


	18. Observations

Nothing Comes Easily by captstarbuck

**AN: This is, for the most part, Calzona, but Arizona-centric, with lots of other Grey's characters, especially Arizona's friendship with Teddy. It's slightly AU/Mostly Canon – Starts just before Arizona returns from Africa and varies a bit in the story of bringing them back together. Let's just say I bend the timeline and modify a few scenes to suit my own purposes.**

**AN2: Thanks again to Stacy, my beta reader, the comma commando. Also a special thanks to ****pens_co927**** for the great suggestions, ideas, and awesome ass-kicking to keep me writing.**

**Disclaimers – ****All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual. (****I don't own any of the characters from Grey's Anatomy. All of that belongs to Shondaland et al. I just wanted to take them out and play)**

Chapter 17 – Observations

"Iraq?" Kayo bristled, her eyes growing dark. "I don't talk about Iraq," she said in a low, cold voice. "Not with Bear, not with Arizona, not with Owen, not with the VA shrink and sure as hell not with a woman I just met two hours ago."

Addison was undaunted. She placed her hand over Kayo's. "Hey, I just wondered and I get it," she said her voice full of warmth and compassion. "It's a sore subject, but it's sure as hell not good for you to keep those demons to yourself. I'm just saying, if you need someone to talk to who doesn't know you or the situation, I'm here."

Kayo's body relaxed just a little bit, her shoulders slumping. She didn't mean to be so defensive with Addison. The redhead was only trying to be nice. "I… I'm sorry, Addison. I appreciate your concern, but… I don't talk about it. At all." There was finality in Kayo's voice.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I can't believe you asked GI Jane to pick up Addison," Callie grumbled as she and Arizona walked hand in hand from the hospital to Joe's.

"What was I supposed to do, Callie? I was on my way out the door when I got the 911 page. Kayo happened to be in the locker room when I went to change back into scrubs."

"Why didn't you call Mark?"

"I barely had time to leave a message for Addison." She stopped walking and faced Callie. "And why are you so opposed to Kayo picking Addison up at the airport anyway?"

"Why do you think?" Callie rolled her eyes.

"Y'know, Callie, just because Mark slept with Addison a million years ago, doesn't mean Kayo would."

"She sleeps with anything female that walks, Arizona! And stop bringing Mark into all our fights." She tugged on Arizona's hand and they resumed their walk.

"Can we just be honest with each other and acknowledge the fact that you're upset I have my own female, lesbian version of Mark now?"

"I don't like how she looks at you, Arizona." _She looks at you like she's starving and you're a seven course meal just waiting to be devoured_, Callie thought.

"And I don't like that Mark's in our apartment at all hours of the day amd night." The blonde jerked open the door to the bar. "Just because Kayo has an active sex life does not mean she would put the moves on Addison, even if the woman IS sex on stilettos." 

Callie raised an eyebrow at Arizona's description of their friend as she followed the blonde into the bar. When she noticed Kayo and Addison across the room, engrossed in what appeared to be a deep conversation, Callie stopped abruptly, causing Arizona to bump into her. "You were saying?" she commented.

"What?" Arizona asked.

"I rest my case," Callie said, pointing out the two women to her girlfriend.

"They're not doing anything," Arizona protested. She didn't see anything wrong. Addison was leaning forward in her chair, her hand on Kayo's arm, looking like she was trying to make a point. Kayo was almost slouched in her chair, an empty glass in her hand, her gaze focused on the redhead.

"I think GI Jane forgot the words 'at the airport' from your request," Callie said, her voice heavy with sarcasm.

"What?"

"I think all she heard was 'pick Addison up'. Seems to me that's what she's trying to do."

"Really? You really believe that's what Kayo's trying to do?"

"She does have a reputation at the hospital, Arizona, even if only _half _of the gossip is true."

"And you really think Addison would allow herself to be picked up by Kayo? You're giving Kayo a whole lot more credit than she deserves, and your faith in Addison is underwhelming."

As they approached the table, Kayo immediately shot to her feet. Addison subtly took note of Kayo's manners, as well as the smile she gave Arizona. She also noticed the tension between Callie and Arizona, and she filed it away. _Later_, she thought. _I'll speak to Callie about it some other time_.

"Addison!" Callie said joyfully with open arms as she closed the distance between her and her other best friend.

"Callie." Addison's arms went around her friend with a warm, close hug. "It's so good to see you again."

"I'm so glad you're here, Addison," Callie responded, tears in her eyes.

Kayo hung back from the table, not wanting to intrude on the reunion between two friends. Her eyes met Arizona's and she nodded her hello.

"Thanks for picking Addison up," Arizona said, then she remembered what Callie had just said. "At the airport," she stammered. "Picking her up at the airport."

"No problem," Kayo said, confused a little at Arizona's sudden nervousness. "Glad I could help out."

"Arizona," Addison said, turning to the blonde.

"Addison. So glad you could make it."

Addison drew Arizona into a hug. "And I'm certainly glad to see the two of you back together again," the redhead whispered before releasing the blonde.

Kayo remained standing while the three other women seated themselves at the table. "Let me get you a round before I go," she offered. She turned to Addison. "I believe I promised you another glass of wine, Addison?"

"Thank you, yes, that would be lovely, Kayo."

"White wine, beer or gin and tonic, Arizona?" Kayo gave Arizona a playful smile. "Or maybe vodka?"

"Ugh, no," Arizona replied, her face crinkling with the memories of the hangover she'd endured the last time she'd had vodka. "White wine, please."

Callie frowned at the interaction between Arizona and the Trauma surgeon. She wasn't sure what bothered her about the exchange. Kayo knowing what Arizona liked to drink was irksome, but the look that passed between the two when Kayo had said 'vodka' seemed to indicate some secret story. What the Latina didn't notice was that her attitude and expression hadn't gone unobserved by Addison.

"Torres, what can I get you?"

"Um, orange juice and Sprite with a twist of lemon." Her friend and her lover looked at her. "What? It's what I'm craving right now."

"I'll be right back."

"Callie, you are positively glowing," Addison commented as they waited for Kayo's return.

"Isn't she?" Arizona said with a smile, her gaze on her girlfriend. She lovingly rubbed her hand across Callie's back.

Callie saw the look of adoration on the blonde. One look at her dimpled smile, her blue eyes shining with love and Callie forgot all about their disagreement about Kayo. Callie's face softened and she gave Arizona what she hoped was the same smile. She leaned over and gave Arizona a quick peck on the cheek.

"So, what time's our appointment?" Addison asked, her smile clearly indicating her affection for the couple seated across from her.

"Ten-thirty. I booked an OB exam room," Arizona replied.

"Will Mark be joining us?" Addison inquired. She couldn't help but see Arizona's face stiffen at the mention of the man's name.

"That was the plan," Callie explained, "but he's got a major face reconstruction tomorrow morning that he couldn't re-schedule."

Kayo returned with the drinks, setting them down in front of each doctor. "And with that, I'll bid you ladies a good night."

"Sure you don't want to join us for dinner?" Addison asked, ignoring the sudden icy stare that Callie was currently giving her.

"I'm sure you three have a lot of catching up to do," the Trauma surgeon said. She reached into her coat pocket. "Before I forget, here are your keys, Arizona." She handed the blonde a set of keys.

"Thanks, again, Kayo."

"It was nothing," Kayo replied with a wave of her hand. "I've had worse company," she said, giving Addison a quick wink as she headed for the bar. Addison and Arizona watched Kayo saunter across the room before seating herself at the bar.

Callie didn't give another thought to the Trauma surgeon as she scanned the menu.

"Do you know what you're having?" Arizona asked, her attention back on Callie.

"I'm not sure. What I want is a cheeseburger and fries, but I know I need to eat something better, like a salad."

"Tell you what. Order something healthy, well, healthier, and we can split an order of fries." She smiled at Callie. "Compromise, remember?"

The placed their orders with the waitress; one salmon Caesar salad for Arizona, one chicken Caesar salad for Callie, and a salad topped with crab for Addison.

"It feels so good to just sit," Arizona said, sipping from her wine. "It seems like I never stopped all day."

As he entered the bar, Mark Sloan spotted the women sitting together and took the most direct route to their table. "Ladies, mind if I join you?" he asked.

If she hadn't been looking at Arizona when Mark spoke, Addison would've missed the look of distaste that crossed the blonde's face. It was there for a quick moment, then was replaced in an instant with one of disinterest. "Actually, yes, Mark, we do mind," Addison said, reaching for her glass. "We just want some time for a little 'girl talk', and the last I knew, you weren't a girl." She took a sip from her glass. "Unless there's some new development in your life that you haven't told me," she teased.

Callie grinned at Mark's discomfort and Arizona hid her laugh behind her hand.

"Well, I…"

Addison put her hand on Mark's arm. "We'll catch up later, Mark," she said kindly. "I promise."

"Fine. I'll be at the bar," he huffed, acting more like a little boy than a grown man.

Arizona mouthed a silent 'thank you' to Addison, receiving a quick nod in return.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

His ears still red with embarrassament, Mark retreated to the bar, taking a seat beside the Trauma surgeon.

"So, did the hen party chase you away, too?" he asked as he signalled for a drink.

"No, I left voluntarily."

"I have every right to sit with them, you know."

Kayo couldn't believe his audacity. Maybe another day and time she'd ignore it, but Addison's questions were already eating at her and her mood had darkened. Mark Sloan and his comments was just making it worse. "A _right_? Why the hell would you think that?"

"It's _my_ family and _my_ friend."

"Yes, Addison is your friend." _And God only knows why_, Kayo thought. "And you can make your own plans to visit." Kayo took a pull from her beer. "As to family… you and the baby are a family. Torres and Robbins and the baby are a family. You, Torres, Robbins and the baby are not A family," Kayo said. "Get a fucking clue, Sloan. Knocking Torres up doesn't entitle you to anything but a relationship with the child."

"Torres is my best friend."

"I got news for you, Sloan. Best friends don't fuck each other."

"You're one to talk," he shot back.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You and blondie… everyone knows you did."

"Arizona and I never fucked," she said, her voice cold.

"Oh, that's right. Lesbians don't _fuck_," he said snidely. "They _make love_."

"We didn't do that, either," she said, glowering at him. "Unlike some people, I don't fuck my friends literally and figuratively." She leaned toward him. "You fucking your best friend, or your best friend's wife, has messed up a lot of lives around here. Torres. Robbins. Lexie. Addison. Shepherd. Quite the track record, Sloan."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"Grow up, Sloan, and stop fucking up people's lives."

It wasn't hard to for Joe to hear their raised voices, and he quickly leaned over the bar.

"Is there a problem, doctors?" he said quietly.

"No, no problem," Kayo replied waving him off. "I was just leaving." She threw some cash on the bar. "Keep the change."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A familiar buzzing sound interrupted their meal, and all three women looked at their pagers.

"Crap. It's mine," Arizona said. "Maybe I can handle it with a phone call," she said reaching into her purse for her phone. "Excuse me," she apologized, standing up. "I'll be right back."

The blonde grabbed her coat and headed outside. The reception tended to be better outside than inside. The noise level had increased in the bar as well, and it would be easier to hear standing in front of the bar than in it.

"She looks tired," Addison commented before taking another bite of her salad.

"Stark has been running her ragged," Callie replied as she dipped a french into the small dish holding ketchup.

"Stark?"

"The new head of the Peds Department," Callie explained.

"Arizona's not the department head?"

"No. The chief hired a replacement when Arizona… when Arizona left for Africa." Callie popped the french fry into her mouth. "Stark gives her the crappiest shifts and almost never answers his pager. He 'delegates' his pages to Arizona," she said disgustedly.

"That's unfortunate."

"It sucks is what it is," Callie retorted. "In the past week alone, Arizona has been paged four times in the middle of the night." Callie scowled, remembering what she and Arizona had been doing two of those times. "Twice the timing of those pages couldn't have been any worse."

Addison smiled knowingly at Callie's comments. "That explains the baggy eyes and wrinkled shirt, but I was meaning more about the lack of spring to her step. Her annoying perkiness is gone."

Callie pondered what Addison had said, but before she could respond, Arizona was back at their table and picking up her purse. "I've got to go back to the hospital," the blonde said. "I shouldn't be too long." She leaned over and gave the Latina a kiss on her cheek. "More salad, less fries, Calliope," she gently chastised her girlfriend when she saw the french fry in her grasp.

"Arizona…" Callie frowned.

"I love you," she said, kissing her girlfriend once more. "I'll call you later."

"Love you, too," Callie said, returning the kiss.

Kayo and Arizona approached the door at the same time.

"Heading out?" Arizona asked her friend.

"Yeah. Thought I'd grab some shut-eye in an on-call room. You?"

"I got paged. Walk with me? I've never been comfortable walking to the hospital from here at night alone."

"Sure, I can do that."

Kayo opened the door, her hand resting lightly on the small of Arizona's back as she steered her out the door. From opposites ends of the bar, the Trauma surgeon's actions did not go unnoticed by the two people most concerned about her friendship with Arizona.

The two surgeons walked in silence back to the hospital. Kayo couldn't stop thinking about Addison's questions and Sloan… _Being around him is like biting on tinfoil_, Kayo thought. _He just irritates the hell out of me_.

Her mood worsened as memories of Iraq and what had happened began tugging at her mind.

Arizona couldn't help but see the surly look on Kayo's face.

"Everything okay?" she asked Kayo, some hesitation in her voice.

"I'm fine," Kayo snapped. "Everyone and everything are just fucking fine."

"Kayo, I –"

"Arizona, I'm exhaused amd I've been in these scrubs since three o'clock this morning. I'm hungry and I want a hot shower and… and people ask too many questions," she ranted. "And Mark Sloan is an ass."

Arizona stopped in front of the main entrance to the hospital and took a step back from her friend. "Y'know what, Kayo, you're not the only one who's tired. I've been paged back to the hospital twice tonight. You're hungry? You could've sat down and had dinner with us, but you said 'no'. Wanted to go home and sleep or go out with the nurses? You could've said 'no' to picking Addison up at the airport." 

"Yeah, right, like I could've said no to you," she muttered loud enough for the blonde to hear her. 

"What's that supposed to mean? Of course you can say no." 

"Oh, please, Arizona. You flash those dimples and baby blues... no one can say no to you and you damned well know it."

Teddy walked out of the hospital to see the two women squared off. "Are you two kids squabbling again?" she said jokingly, not realizing the tension between the women. 

Both women glanced briefly at Teddy, then ignored her as they returned to glaring at one another. 

"Maybe you'd be a lot less tired and cranky if you'd go home once in a while instead of living at work and avoiding your best friend!"

Teddy looked back and forth between the pair. "Alrighty then. I'm just gonna let the two of you duke it out," she said, turning to leave.

"No," Arizona said, her voice unreasonably cold. "You're going to take Dr. Dwyer home."

"I am?"

"She is?"

Arizona nodded. "You are." Before the two women could start to protest, the blonde cut them off. "NOW! That's an order, soldier!"

The two former Army officers fell silent, their mouths hanging open.

The Peds surgeon adjusted her purse over her shoulder. "I have a patient. Good night."

With that, she marched into the hospital.

Teddy turned to her friend. "What the hell, Kayo? How can you even get mad at Arizona? She's just about the nicest person in the whole damned hospital?"

Kayo shrugged, trying to play it cool, even though she was embarrassed by her own behavior.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Callie and Addison watched Arizona move across the bar. "Do you really think this Stark guy is the only reason for the disheveled zombie who just left?" Addison questioned gently. She noticed the dark look Callie was currently shooting at Kayo and Arizona as they left the bar.

"Green's not a good color for you, Cal," Addison remarked when Callie seemed not to have heard Addison.

"What?" Callie confusedly looked down at her clothes. "I'm not wearing any green." She looked at Addison, who raised an eyebrow. "What?" she repeated.

"You're jealous of Kayo and Arizona."

"Me? Jealous? Hardly. I just don't like her."

"Why not?"

"Because she's… she's got no morals. She's probably screwed half the nurses in the hospital."

"I find that hard to believe." Addison set her fork down. "And even if it were true, so what? Mark's been doing that for years."

Callie frowned. "She's always around Arizona. I don't trust her."

"Have either of them given you any reason not to trust them?"

"Arizona said nothing happened - "

"You asked her?" Addison's eyes widened in surprise.

"Well, yeah, of course I did. I wanted to know."

"And you don't believe her?"

"I do... but I can't help but think they did."

"Well, I don't think anything has." Addison took a sip from her wine. "Besides, what right do you have to complain if something did happen?" Callie glared at her friend. "Seriously, Callie. It's not like you were together when she came back. You were living with Mark. I'm sure Arizona was already thinking the worst at that point." The redhead set her wine glass back down. "If I recall, you were making it pretty damned difficult for her. I'm sure she didn't, but it wouldn't surprise me if she had fallen into Kayo's arms."

Callie frowned. "Addison, how could she do that if she was trying to get back with me, chasing after me and telling me how much she loved me?"

"Callie, did you ever stop to think what you were doing with Mark?"

"I was hurt and sad and mad and missing Arizona."

"And I'm sure Arizona was feeling the same way." Addison looked Callie directly in the eye. "I'm not saying they did. I'm actually pretty sure they didn't, but I don't blame her if they did."

"No, I'd blame Dwyer," Callie snapped. "She looks at my girlfriend like Arizona's filet mignon and she's going to starve to death unless she gets a nibble."

"That seems a little harsh, Callie."

"What do you know, Addison? You've spent all of fifteen minutes with her," Callie replied with a sulk as she sipped her drink.

"Actually it was more like two and a half hours, and in that time, I have yet to see the villian you made her out to be. What I HAVE seen is a charming woman - "

"Charming, right, that's for sure," Callie scoffed, interrupting the redhead.

"A charming and very nice woman," Addison continued, ignoring her friend's comments, "who's obviously been through a lot and just wants to be accepted."

Callie remained quiet.

"I think Arizona and Kayo probably find kindred spirits in one another right now."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Do you honestly think Stark's the only person putting Arizona's through her paces since she got back?"

"That's in the past." Callie scoffed.

"Is it? Or does she have to hear whisperings of the gossip mill speculating when you're leaving her for Mark or when she's going to flee to Africa? The whispered wonderings of how long you and McSteamy were doing the McNasty before McPerky was gone or if you ever stopped?"

Callie's jaw dropped in horror.

"Right now, you're trying to drive away one of the only true friends Arizona has at the hospital." Addison reached across the table to grasp Callie's hands. "Look, Callie, I love you, but if you and Mark remain friends, then you CANNOT drive a wedge between Arizona and Kayo. If you want Arizona to get rid of Kayo, you need to do the same with Mark."

"He's the father, Addison. I can't keep him away. I won't do that to him."

"No one's saying you have to keep him away, Callie. But did you happen to see the look of relief on Arizona's face earlier when I sent him away?"

"What are you talking about?" Callie asked completely confused.

"I'm talking about the fact that you were too wrapped up in Mark's presence to notice Arizona. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out she's not feeling very secure in her place with your whole..." Addison waved her free hand as she searched for the word. "Situation."

"What am I supposed to do?"

Addison gave her hand a squeeze and sat back in her seat. "Grow up and play nice with Kayo, because she won't be going anywhere."

Callie scowled at her fries as the full weight of Addison's words washed over her. She suddenly recalled Teddy and Cristina's words while they operated. _Like Mark… Like you and Mark… What you and Sloan do. How could I not see it? Is this what Arizona feels whenever Mark and I are together?  
><em>  
>"Sometimes I really hate you, Addison," Callie said with a heavy sigh.<p>

"That's because I'm right, and you know it," Addison said, a small smirk crossing her lips.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was after midnight when Arizona found herself trudging out of the hospital and across the street to the apartment that she shared with her girlfriend. Despite her and Karev's best efforts, then ten year old girl had died on the table.

A few minutes later she was entering the apartment, hoping that she'd been quiet enough and hadn't woken Callie up. She dropped her purse into the nearest chair, hung up her coat and kicked off her shoes. Not quite ready to go to bed, the blonde poured herself a glass of wine. Walking through the semi-dark room, she plopped down on the sofa and put her feet up on the coffee table.

Losing a child on the table always took a toll on the Peds surgeon, and telling the parents was absolutely the the hardest part of her job. She supposed she could've had Karev inform the parents, but that wasn't who she was. She wouldn't pass the buck just because it was a difficult task.

She took another long swallow from her glass and thought about her own impending parenthood. She loved Callie; loved her with everything she was. She just wasn't sure if she was ready to be a mom alongside the Latina. She knew she could get past Mark as the father, and she couldn't deny the joy that Callie was feeling over her pregnancy. It was just her old fears resurfacing. Having a child… raising a child meant also knowing there was a possibility of losing a child. She was all too aware of the diseases and accidents that befell children on a regular basis. She feared she wouldn't be able handle it, be strong enough if something did happen to their child.

She finished her wine, then rinsed the glass out, leaving it on the counter to dry. She thought about her altercation with Kayo and how she'd snapped at her. She sympathized with the Trauma surgeon, but Kayo's reluctance to talk about it, and Kayo's irritation with her friends was frustrating to Arizona. _I suppose I could've shown more patience with her_, the blonde thought, _but I was tired, too. I'll apologize tomorrow_.

As she walked into the bedroom, Arizona couldn't help but smile at her girlfriend. Callie was sleeping on her side, facing the middle of the bed, Arizona's pillow clutched firmly in her grasp. Arizona quickly stripped, then pulled on a t-shirt. She climbed into bed, worming her way into Callie's embrace. Callie's arms instinctively tightened, drawing the blonde closer.

Arizona snuggled as close to Callie as she could get, her head resting on Callie's chest. The steady beat of Callie's heart and her deep, rhythmic breathing gently lulled the blonde into a deep sleep.


	19. Slow Down

Nothing Comes Easily by captstarbuck

**AN: This is, for the most part, Calzona, but Arizona-centric, with lots of other Grey's characters, especially Arizona's friendship with Teddy. It's slightly AU/Mostly Canon – Starts just before Arizona returns from Africa and varies a bit in the story of bringing them back together. Let's just say I bend the timeline and modify a few scenes to suit my own purposes.**

**AN2: Thanks again to Stacy, who has been promoted to Lt. Commander for service 'above and beyond'. Also a special thanks to ****pens_co927**** for 'cracking the whip' to keep me writing.**

**Disclaimers – All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual. (I don't own any of the characters from Grey's Anatomy. All of that belongs to Shondaland et al. I just wanted to take them out and play)**

Chapter 18 – Slow Down

The all too familiar sound of a pager vibrating on the dresser woke up both women from a sound sleep.

"No…" Arizona groaned as she burrowed under the covers. "I've only been asleep for a few hours," she continued, her complaint muffled by the pillow she'd pulled over her head.

"Relax, sweetie. I think it's mine," Callie replied, getting out of bed. She checked both pagers, confirming that it was hers and not her girlfriend's. "It's mine. Go back to sleep."

A pale arm reached out from underneath the blankets and grasped Callie's arm, tugging her back toward the bed. "Come back to bed, Calliope. Stay here and keep me warm."

"It's a 911 to the Pit," Callie said. "I have to go."

She quickly grabbed a change of clothes. Years of middle of the night pages had made the two surgeons always leave a set of clean clothes in preparation. Getting dressed in the dark had now become instinctual, something they did without a second thought.

Once dressed, Callie looked down at the blonde. The pillow was no longer covering Arizona's head. She was still somewhat awake, a small frown on her face. Callie sat down beside her and gently rubbed her back until the almost asleep woman's face relaxed.

"I'll see you later," Callie whispered. "I love you."

"Love you, too," Arizona mumbled, sleep finally returning to her.

It was close to four AM when the Ortho surgeon arrived to controlled chaos in the emergency room. The waiting area and hallways were swarming with what seemed to be the entire Seattle police force. Bloody bandages and supplies littered the floors. She quickly grabbed an intern who was passing by, his arms full of supplies.

"What's going on and where do they need me?"

"Gang war," he stammered. "Multiple victims. I don't know who paged you. Check with Dr. Dwyer."

"Dr. Torres!"

At the sound of her name being called out, Callie turned to a familiar face. "Avery, who paged me?"

"Exam room three," he said, dashing into another exam room.

Callie grabbed a yellow gown from the stack on a cart in the hallway before proceeding into the exam room. She at first stiffened when she realized that Dr. Dwyer was standing beside the bed of the patient, a police officer.

"Officer Berg… Officer Berg, I'm Dr. Dwyer. Do you know where you are?"

"Hospital… " he gasped. "What happened?"

"You were hit by a car," she explained.

"Hurts…" he moaned.

"I know. We've given you something for the pain. It'll take a few minutes."

Callie listened as Kayo continued to speak to the police officer in a calm, soothing voice. Despite her misgivings about the Trauma surgeon, she had to admit that Kayo had a good beside manner.

"Whattya got?" Callie asked, tying the strings of her gown.

Kayo looked up. "Oh, Dr. Torres, I didn't expect you. I told Kepner to page Ortho. I didn't mean to wake you, but I'm glad you're here."

Kayo quietly gave instructions to the ER nurse and April before motioning with her head toward the door. "Let's talk out in the hall. I just got the scans."

"Sure."

Callie noticed that Kayo was similarly dressed, the trauma gown covering her jeans and sweatshirt. Apparently the other surgeon had been paged to the hospital as well. She briefly studied the Trauma surgeon's face. She was alert and awake, but she looked drained, almost worn out, and Callie couldn't get a read on her mood.

"What's going on?" Callie asked as Kayo grabbed the file containing the scans.

"Couple of gangs decided to open fire on one another. We've had two DOAs. Major Altman's already in the OR with one GSW to the chest. Major Hunt and Shepherd are on their way to the OR now with a GSW to the head. Doubt he'll make it."

Callie's eyebrow quirked upward at the other doctor's use of 'Major' instead of 'Doctor'. She wondered if the Trauma Surgeon was even aware of it or if she even knew where she was.

"Most of the other wounds are superficial or through and through. The medics can handle those." Kayo shook her head in disgust. "Good thing that most of them have pretty piss-poor aim or it could've been a lot worse," she explained as she snapped the scans up.

"And the police officer?"

"One of the first responders. He was running to the scene when he was hit by a truck." Kayo pointed to the scans. "I'm going to have to remove his spleen and repair any other damage I find. We already put in a chest tube for the pneumothorax. It's his leg that I need you to look at. He's got a tib-fib compound fracture and one to the femur as well. His leg is a fucking mess."

Callie studied the scans and she contemplated the best course of action.

"Can you do anything?" the Trauma surgeon asked. "My first thought was to amputate." Seeing the Ortho surgeon's eyes narrow, Kayo continued, "but I know you're the best at building something out of nothing."

Callie's eyes widened with surprise at the compliment. She looked over at the taller surgeon. There was a different look about her than when Callie had first walked into the ER. There was absolutely sincerity in Kayo's eyes when she complimented Callie, but there was something else. It was almost as if Kayo had left wherever she'd just been in her head and was now back in the reality of the hospital's ER.

"Torres, we… I… really need a win with this one," Kayo admitted. "This guy deserves whatever help we can give him. He shouldn't have to lose his leg because he was responding to a bunch of idiots who can't resolve their differences without guns."

"The tib-fib looks like a relatively easy repair with the right hardware," the Latina replied confidently. "The femur is going to be trickier. There's no telling with bone fragments how much nerve damage there is and what shape the blood vessels are in either."

"Do you think we can save his leg?"

"Yes, save it and with a lot of PT, he should be walking in six months."

"Good," Kayo said. "What do you need from me?"

"Have Kepner find me all the titanium she can."

"Will do. She'll know what to get?"

"Yes."

"Then I guess we better get him into the OR."

As they reached for the door to the exam room, April opened the door.

"Oh, Kepner, we were just coming to talk to you."

A high pitched yell, and shouts of "Gun" coming down the hall froze the three women.

"What the hell?" Callie said, looking past the tall Trauma surgeon.

"Insurgents," Kayo snapped, her eyes wildly searching the hall.

"What are you talking about?" Callie asked.

"Take cover," Kayo commanded, pushing the two women down. She crouched in front of them, reaching for a non-existent gun on her hip. "Where's my sidearm?" she said mostly to herself. "Where the fuck is my sidearm?" she repeated.

"Dr. Dwyer?" April squeeked.

"Keep your head down," she ordered, pushing the door to the exam room open. She not-so-gently shoved the two other doctors into the room. She looked at the nearly unconscious man on the exam table. "Soldier, where's your weapon?" she demanded.

Getting no response, she turned back to the two women who sat on the floor. The resident's face went white with fear and tears filled her eyes. She looked over at the Ortho surgeon, who had a baffled look on her face.

"Stay here, and don't leave until I give the all-clear," Kayo said, edging her way out of the door.

"What's going on, Dr. Torres?" the resident asked, her chin quivering.

"I don't know, Kepner, but we're staying here until we know it's safe."

"Did I really hear Dr. Dwyer say there were insurgents?"

"Yes, but she's…" Callie shook her head once. "She's mistaken."

They both fell silent. Callie noticed that April was trembling with fear.

"Why does this keep happening?" April said, her voice shaking. "That man who shot everyone… then that patient's husband… and now this…"

Callie took April's hand and squeezed it. "We'll be okay, April," she said, her voice confident, even though she didn't feel it or believe it. "You survived those and you'll survive this."

A few minutes later, Kayo burst into the room. She appeared to be calm, but Callie couldn't help but notice the tall woman's furrowed brow.

"What happened?" Callie asked, standing up.

"Stupid fucking gangbanger," Kayo cursed. "Came in waving a gun around, trying to finish the job. Idiot. The hospital's full of cops. What a moron."

"Everyone okay?"

"They disarmed him and took him down with a taser." She reached her hand down and helped the young resident to her feet. "Are you okay?" she asked both women.

"I'm fine," Callie said, brushing her clothes off. "Are you?"

"Just dandy," Kayo said sarcastically. "Kepner?"

"I'm okay," she said nodding.

"Good. We've got a patient that needs surgery," Kayo said, looking at the police officer.

"Right," Callie said. "Kepner, I need you to get me the following," she continued, pulling the resident aside.

Kayo was impressed with how quickly the Ortho surgeon had recovered from the incident. For a few minutes, the Trauma surgeon had found herself feeling like she was back in Iraq and it had taken all her self-control to not totally snap.

"I'm going to check on a few things," she said to April and Callie. "I'll meet you upstairs."

Callie nodded her acknowledgement, as she finished the list of what she needed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Fifteen minutes later, needing to change into scrubs, Callie headed for the Attendings' locker room. As soon as she walked into the room, she saw Kayo. The Trauma surgeon was standing, her back to Callie, and she was pulling off her sweatshirt. As the sweatshirt rose up, it caught on Kayo's t-shirt, pulling that up as well. Callie tried not to stare, but she couldn't help but notice the scars across the woman's back and side. She recalled what her girlfriend had said earlier. _Arizona wasn't kidding. Those are some nasty scars_.

She quickly averted her eyes as she gently cleared her throat. "Kepner just took our patient into the OR."

"Okay, thanks," Kayo said, quickly pulling her t-shirt back down. She grabbed a set of scrubs from the stack and quickly finished changing out of her street clothes.

"I'm going to get scrubbed in and get started," Kayo said, tying on her scrub cap as she left the room.

By the time Callie had entered the OR, Kayo and Avery were already operating. April was waiting, the orthopedic hardware that Callie had requested was neatly laid out. Once she was gowned and gloved, Callie set to work. The OR remained quiet as the surgeons and surgical residents went about their tasks.

A shrill beeping suddenly filled the room.

"What's wrong?" Kayo asked. "We've got clean field."

"I've got a bleeder," Callie said. "A bone fragment must've hit an artery. I can't find it."

"Do you need a hand?" Kayo asked.

"Yes," Callie said with no hesitation. Even if she felt some personal ambivalence toward the other woman, she respected her surgical skills.

"Avery, finish up," Kayo said, immediately moving beside the Ortho surgeon.

The Trauma surgeon quickly assessed the situation and then stuck her hand into the open leg. She felt around and then pinched off the vessel with her fingers.

"Clamp."

The scrub nurse slapped the instrument into her hand. Once Kayo had it secure, she instantly began to call out for other surgical tools. Callie and April looked on as Kayo quickly tied off the bleeder. The beeping stopped and the patient's stats returned to normal.

"Thanks," Callie said.

"No problem," Kayo said. "Glad to help," she added, dropping the bone fragment into a tray. "The arteries can retract up and can be hard to find. Happened a lot in… in Iraq." Kayo stepped back, but not completely away. "Do you mind if I observe, Dr. Torres? I didn't get to see the reconstruction part when I was in Iraq. We just patched them up and sent them on."

Callie was glad her mask hid most of her face. She hoped that her eyes didn't show her shock at the request.

"Um, sure."

"Thanks. This is, after all, a teaching hospital," Kayo added. "And we're never too old to learn, right?" She winked at the two doctors.

"Right." Callie took a deep breath. "Do you want to assist?"

"I'd love to, if that's okay with you, Dr. Kepner."

"Sure. I can help Dr. Avery close."

"Thank you."

For the next two hours, even after the other surgeons had left, the two surgeons worked side-by-side. Kayo was impressed with the Latina's surgical skills and her teaching skills. _She's a born teacher, _she thought_. It's too bad none of the residents have shown an interest in Orthopedics_.

As she worked with the Trauma surgeon, Callie slowly changed her opinion of the woman. Kayo hadn't hesitated to put herself between the danger and her and Kepner. The arrogance that the Latina thought she'd seen before seemed to be non-existent when they worked together. She deferred time and time again to Callie's expertise when it came to orthopedic surgery and she genuinely wanted to learn. Her references to insurgents and soldiers, however, was somewhat troubling. Callie wondered how much of it was just an instinctual reaction and how much of it was PTSD.

"Nice work," Kayo commented as Callie closed.

"Thanks."

"And thanks for letting me assist."

"Sure you want to stay in trauma?" Callie asked as they scrubbed out. "You have a real knack for ortho."

"I'm happy with trauma, but thanks for the suggestion." Kayo took a towel from the stack and dried her arms and hands. "I'd love to assist again when you do another reconstruction like that, though. Or at least observe."

"I'll keep it in mind."

Kayo stretched and cracked her back. "Can I buy you a cup of coffee, Torres?"

Callie looked up at the clock. "Shit. Another time, Dwyer. I've got an appointment that I'm going to be late for if I don't hurry."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Arizona rushed through the hallways, mentally cursing Stark for making her late to their appointment with Addison. _He knew I had an appointment and he still passed on that page_, she thought with not a little annoyance. _Jackass_. She'd barely had time to stop in the Peds' lounge to get the bag she'd tucked in the refrigerator earlier in the morning.

She had yet to see Callie this morning. She'd seen the police cars that remained in the parking lot and had overheard some gossip about what had happened in the ER, but she hadn't paid close attention to it. She only knew that when she arrived at the hospital, Callie and Kayo were still in surgery. She wondered how that had gone, and had considered popping into the gallery but a small crisis with one of her patients ended that thought.

She knocked on the door to the exam room, waiting for someone to open the door. She hoped that Callie wasn't mad. It wasn't like she could help it. Moments later, Addison opened the door.

"Sorry I'm late," the blonde apologized as she kissed Callie's cheek. "Stark…"

"Was being Stark," Callie finished for her as she flashed an understanding smile at her girlfriend.

"What'd I miss?"

"We just finished the exam and I was getting ready to do the ultrasound," Addison replied.

"Oh, hey, before you get any further, you need to take these," Arizona interrupted, taking a small baggie full of pre-natal vitamins out of her lab coat pocket. "I know you didn't have time this morning." She handed it to Callie, then opened the small bag she was carrying. "I got you a chocolate milk to wash them down because, well, you need the milk, and I know you don't like the taste of the vitamins," she rambled. "And it's ice cold, just the way you like it." She handed the small milk container over to Callie. "Oh, and I saw how long you were in surgery and knew you didn't have time for breakfast so I brought you a banana, a granola bar and an apple juice. Make sure you eat before you leave this room."

Addison grinned at the blonde and her caretaking. She looked at Callie and watched her face change from one of bewilderment to one of absolute adoration.

"Does she always ramble like that?" Addison teased.

Arizona's cheeks turned a faint pink and Callie grinned.

"Not always," Callie said with a smile. "But when she does it's absolutely adorable."

The pink on Arizona's cheeks turned darker. "Callie…"

"It's true."

Addison laughed as she pulled the Ultrasound machine closer to Callie. As she squeezed the cold gel onto Callie's abdomen, Callie reached for her girlfriend's hand and squeezed it.

"Okay, then," Addison said. "Let's take a look."

The three doctors watched the screen. Addison quickly pointed the embyro out to the expectant parents.

"Looks good. Right on track for development." She heard their sighs of relief. "Do you want a copy?"

"Of course!" they chorused.

"I'll make a copy for you," Addison said, handing Callie a towel so she could wipe off the gel.

"Let me do that for you," Arizona said, taking the towel from Callie.

"Better behave yourself," Callie said under her breath, as Arizona gently wiped the small baby bump.

"Always," Arizona replied with a smirk.

"You can get dressed now, Callie. I'll be back to talk to you both as soon as you're done," Addison said as she wheeled the machine out of the room.

"Give me five minutes," Callie called after her.

"Sure you don't want more time?" Addison asked, one eyebrow arching upward.

"What? Why would we… oh…. no…. we'll be good," Callie said, an embarrassed smile crossing her face.

Addison laughed and let the door close behind her. She was happy to see the two of them together again. Callie had been so distraught and broken when Arizona had left for Africa. She really hoped that the two of them could work it out the baby 'situation' with Mark. _I need to talk to Callie before I go_, the redhead thought. _I don't think they even know what they're going to do_.

When Addison returned to the exam room, Arizona was sitting on Callie's lap and they were talking quietly.

"Okay, you two lovebirds," she teased.

Before they could answer, Callie's pager went off. She looked down. "Damn. It's a 911 to the Pit. I have to take this."

"Callie, you aren't even –"

The Latina cut off Arizona's protest. "I have to go, Arizona. I'll catch you at lunch. I promise."

Arizona reluctantly got up from Callie's lap and the Ortho surgeon started for the door.

"Don't forget to eat!" Arizona called out.

"I won't," Callie said, snatching the bag and taking out the banana. "I'll eat on my way," she added, rushing from the door.

"Well, I guess it's just us," Addison said.

"I'm sorry, Addison."

"Don't apologize, Arizona. I know what it's like to be an in demand surgeon." She sat down beside Arizona. "I'm a little concerned about a few things." Arizona's eyes widened in alarm. "Nothing too serious, but Callie's weight gain is a little on the low side and her blood pressure is a little high. It's nothing to be too worried about." She added with emphasis, "yet."

"And?"

"She needs to slow down. She's not getting enough rest. She needs to scale back the long hours in the OR."

"She won't. I've already suggested that to her."

"Then we both need to talk to her. If you want, I can speak to Richard about cutting her hours."

"She won't like that."

"And she won't like it if she miscarries, either," Addison said bluntly.

"You think there's a chance of that?" Arizona asked worriedly.

"Yes, if we don't slow her down and have her take better care of herself." Addison patted Arizona's hand. "You're doing a great job of taking care of her, Arizona, from what I can see, but she needs to as well. Multiple long bouts in the OR, skipping meals… that's not a good thing for her or the baby."

"Then we'll talk to her, the sooner the better."

Addison leaned back in her chair. "So, how are you doing, Arizona, with all of it?"

"Excuse me?" Arizona was a little startled by Addison's question. They weren't friends. Addison was Callie's friend. Yes, they were friendly, but not friends.

"This… situation… can't be easy for you," Addison said delicately.

"I… I don't…" Arizona didn't want to be rude, but she didn't really feel comfortable talking to Addison. "I don't think I can talk to you about all of…" She paused, waving her hand, trying to come up with the right word. "… this," she said weakly.

"I'm an impartial third, no fourth, party," Addison replied. "Whatever you say is between you, me and the walls of this room."

"But you're not," Arizona said quickly. "You can't be impartial. You're Callie's friend." She took a deep breath. "And Mark's."

"I understand that, Arizona. I'm their friend." Addison shifted in her chair. "And that also means I know both of them pretty well."

"I'm fine," Arizona replied reflexively.

"Arizona, you've been put in an almost impossible situation," Addison commented gently.

The blonde's blue eyes narrowed in barely concealed anger as she folded her arms across her chest. "I'm not leaving," she said defensively.

"I didn't say or think you were."

Arizona's shoulders slumped in relief. "I don't know what you want from me, Addison."

"I know Mark and I know Callie and knowing what I do, I know this has to be an uphill battle for you" Addison shrugged. "I thought you might want someone to listen." She started to rise from her chair. "But since you're 'fine', I'm going to go now."

She started to leave the room, but was halted by Arizona's hand on her wrist. "I appreciate the offer, Addison, but I'm just… it's that you're… I don't know what to say."

"Well, whenever you want to talk, the offer still stands," Addison said with a warm smile.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After Arizona left, Addison met briefly with Lucy Fields, giving her an update on Callie. If the redhead couldn't be in Seattle for the duration of her friend's pregnancy, she was certainly going to be kept informed.

Once she left the OB-GYN department, she headed for the doctor's lounge on the surgical floor, certain she could find someone she still knew at the hospital.

"Addison?"

The tall woman spun around on her high heels and smiled at the familiar face. "Hello, Richard."

"What are you doing here?"

"Just here for a quick consult."

"How long are you here for?" he asked, falling into step beside her.

"I fly back on Sunday. I thought I'd stay and visit a few friends before heading home."

"I was just going to call you." Addison raised an eyebrow. "Can I talk you into staying longer, or returning early next week?"

"What's up?"

"I have a high profile, high risk patient coming in and I want to ensure she gets the best."

"Who is it?"

"The daughter of one of our board members. She's had some problems with a past pregnancy."

"I don't know, Richard."

"I'd consider it a personal favor, Addison."

"Let me check my schedule first and then I'll get back to you. I think I can spare a few days next week, but I can't be certain."

"Thank you."

"I'll let you know as soon as I know," she said, pushing open the door to the doctors' lounge.

"Thank you, and it's good to see you again, Addison."

"You, too, Richard."

As she entered the room, the redhead spotted Kayo sprawled face down on a sofa, one arm dangling from the edge. She smiled and wondered how long the trauma surgeon had been sleeping. Callie had told her earlier about the chaos in the ER. Noticing that the coffee pot was nearly empty, Addison quietly made a fresh pot. Once the pot was full, she poured two cups and sat down on a chair near the sofa.

Two residents whom Addison didn't recognize burst into the room. The noise from the door opening and chattering was loud enough to stir Kayo. The Trauma surgeon groggily lifted her head and looked around the room, confusion on her face.

"Rough night, Kayo?" Addison asked.

"What?" Kayo asked, her voice hoarse. "What did you say?" she asked again, slowly sitting up.

"Rough night?" Addison repeated.

"Yeah," Kayo replied, straightening up her scrubs, then running a hand through her short hair in an attempt to comb it. "I didn't get much sleep last night." She looked over at Addison. "And no, it's not what you think. I got paged about three AM."

"I know. I heard there was quite a scene in the ER."

"Yeah, it was like being back in fucking Iraq."

Addison handed Kayo one of the cups of coffee. Kayo nodded her thanks as she took a large sip from the steaming cup.

"You feel like grabbing some lunch?" Addison suggested. "I'm meeting Callie and Arizona in the cafeteria in thirty minutes."

"Yeah, sure," Kayo mumbled, still not feeling quite awake. "Let me check with Bear. I think we were supposed to have lunch today." She reached into her lab coat for her phone, then quickly typed a text message to her friend.

"You look tired," Addison commented.

"Yeah, I haven't been sleeping well," Kayo admitted. Her phone beeped and she quickly opened it. "Bear will meet us there," she said, closing it.

"How was surgery this morning? I heard you and Callie were in there for hours."

"Pretty good, actually." Kayo took another long drink from her coffee. "She's a natural with the bones. We sure could've used her in Iraq." She shook her head slowly. "Then again, her talents would've been wasted there. We didn't have the time to rebuild anything."

"You two get along okay?"

"Yeah. Why?" Kayo asked warily.

"Well, the two of you don't seem to see eye-to-eye on a lot of things."

"In the OR, we're good." Kayo set her coffee cup down. "I don't dislike Torres," she admitted. "I just don't like the situation with her and Sloan and Arizona." She fiddled with the drawstring on her scrub pants. "And I certainly didn't like how she treated Arizona when I first started working here."

"But you –"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Kayo interrupted, waving her hand. "I was only seeing one side of the story. I just… it's going to take some time for me to warm up to Torres." She set the empty stryofoam cup down. "And I know she's your friend, Addison."

"Yes, she is." Addison picked up her cup, then Kayo's. "Do you want another cup?" she offered as she got up.

"Yeah, sure, thanks. The coffee's surprisingly not awful today."

"I just made a fresh pot before you woke up," Addison explained as she refilled their cups.

"Thanks," Kayo taking the cup from Addison. "I think we need to keep you around Seattle Grace for your coffee making skills."

"Just for my coffee making?"

"What other talents do you have?" Kayo asked with a grin.

"I _am_ a double board certified surgeon."

"Pfft, those are a dime a dozen," the Trauma surgeon teased. "Coffee making in this hospital? Now that's talent."

Addison looked at her watch. "Ready to head down to lunch?"

"Sure."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Teddy, cafeteria tray in hand, searched the room for her friends. She quickly spotted Arizona and Callie at a table. She hadn't seen Kayo or Addison yet. As she approached the two women, she couldn't help but overhear them.

"I know how to take care of myself, Arizona. I've been doing it for thirty-four years," Callie said impatiently.

"I'm just telling you what she said, Calliope. We're staring at the possibility of pre-eclampsia and miscarriage and..." Arizona's arguments were thwarted by Callie's lips on hers. 

"I will be fine," Callie insisted with a harsh tone. She looked over Arizona's shoulder. "Oh, hey Teddy."

"Am I interrupting something?" Teddy asked.

"No, no, sit," Callie said, moving her lunch tray to make more room on the round table.

"How was your appointment?" the Cardio surgeon inquired as she sat down beside Arizona.

"Fine," Callie responded, stealing one of Arizona's french fries. "Everything's right on track."

"That's good news." Teddy looked down at the food on her tray. "How long have I worked here? You'd think I'd know better than to get the meatloaf surprise," she sighed.

"And you think _my_ cooking is bad?" Arizona chided her friend.

"Not necessarily bad, just… dangerous?" she offered.

Callie snickered as Arizona huffed her displeasure at her friend's comment.

"Are you laughing at me, Calliope?"

"No, not me," Callie replied, picking up her drink to hide her smile. "But she does have a point."

"Are you picking on your girlfriend again, Cal?" Addison said from behind Callie.

Callie spun around in her chair to see Addison and Kayo. Her first instinct was to scowl at seeing the two of them together, but she quickly stopped herself. "Addy, Dwyer," she said with a nod.

"Sorry we're late," Addison apologized, sitting down next to Callie.

"Not a problem." Callie knew she was being overly sensitive, but Addison's use of 'we' made her cringe on the inside. _Since when did Addison become such good friends with Dwyer?_

"How was your surgery?" Addison asked, picking up her drink.

"Oh, it was just a simple one. Just a nasty ankle dislocation." The Latina couldn't help but notice the frown on her girlfriend's face. "I'm fine. It was a simple surgery. Stop worrying so much. Addison said everything looked good."

"It really wouldn't hurt if you cut back on your workload, Callie. You really should start to slow down a bit."

"I'm fine," Callie repeated dismissively.

Kayo quietly munched on her apple as she watched the exchange. Clearly there was more going on between the women, but she decided to stay out of it. She looked across the table at her best friend. Teddy frowned as she poked at her food. Kayo took the extra apple out of her pocket of her white lab coat.

"Here," the Trauma surgeon said, placing the apple on her friend's tray. "You're either going to starve because you can't eat your lunch, or you're going to be sick because you did eat it."

"I know, I know," Teddy agreed, picking up the apple.

"I think it's time for me to fire up the grill again and cook us some steaks."

"Oh, that would be great, Kayo." Teddy got a dreamy-eyed look that Kayo recalled only happening when her friend talked about really good food or really handsome men.

Two pagers suddenly started going off. All of the doctors looked down at their own devices. Teddy and Kayo quickly noted that they were being summoned by a 911 page.

"Duty calls," Kayo said, jumping up from the table. "Later."

The Trauma surgeon and her best friend left the cafeteria in a rush, both of them nearly sprinting for the ER.

"Those two are always on the run," Arizona commented. "Kayo moreso than Teddy, but it seems like they've been overrun with traumas this week."

"I think Dwyer sometimes forgets she's not in Iraq," Callie added in a thoughtful voice.

"What do you mean?" Arizona asked concern lacing her tone.

"In the ER this morning, when it was crazy, I swear she called Teddy and Owen 'major' and the residents 'medics'. It wasn't that she wasn't doing her job," Callie quickly amended. "It just seemed like she wasn't here, if you know what I mean."

Arizona was a little worried by Callie's words, yet startled by the tone in Callie's voice. The Latina wasn't speaking with any contempt or anger as she had up until as recently as the previous evening. Just the mere thought of the Trauma surgeon in the past few weeks had been enough to get Callie's blood boiling.

"And when that gangbanger waved the gun around, Dwyer called him an insurgent."

"What gun?" Arizona exclaimed, her eyes wide with fear, her heart suddenly racing.

"Didn't you know about that?"

"Nobody told me. Are you okay, Calliope?" the blonde asked, taking the Latina's hand tightly.

"I'm fine. Dwyer saw the kid, told Kepner and I to take cover and then pushed us into an exam room. I don't know what happened after that, only that the cops tasered him before he could shoot."

"What the hell…" the blonde gasped. "Another gun in this building is NOT what this hospital needs. How'd he even get in with one?"

"I don't know, but you can be sure the Chief is going to be all over that one," Callie said with a smirk. She had been scared when it had happened, but with two operations and one appointment with Addison behind her, she could talk about it with some ease.

"So everybody's okay?"

"Yes. Yeah, people were a little shaky right afterwards, but everyone seems to be okay now. It could have been a whole lot worse if he'd been able to shoot, or if the cops had used their guns instead of a taser." Callie sipped from her juice. "I got the feeling that Dwyer had been through something like this before, in Iraq, She reacted so fast."

"I… I can't believe it. Don't you ever put yourself in that situation again, Calliope."

"Arizona, it's not like I went looking for trouble,"

"I know, I know. I just don't want anything to happen to you or our baby."

Callie couldn't help but smile at Arizona's use of the word 'our'. "I'm fine, Arizona. It's over now."

"Still…"

Arizona squeezed Callie's hand again, trying to shake the images of Callie or the baby being shot.

The three women finished their lunch in silence, each lost in their own thoughts of what could've happened.

"We should do a girls' night out tonight," Callie suddenly said. "It's not every day you're in town, Addison, and who knows when I'll be able to do one again." She subconsciously dropped her hand to her stomach. "Besides, it'd be good for everyone to cut loose and have some fun."

"Are you sure about that, Cal?"

"C'mon, it'll be fun. I'll get Yang and the Greys." She turned to Arizona. "You get Bailey and Teddy." She hesitated for a second. "And Dwyer. And maybe Kepner."

Addison smiled, knowing that Callie including Kayo was a big step for her. Apparently their talk from the night before had reached her friend; that and whatever had transpired in the OR between the two women.

"Okay, so what time and where?" Arizona asked, eager to please Callie, even if she didn't wholeheartedly agree with her idea.

"Um… let's meet out front of the hospital at seven-thirty. We could catch the tail end of happy hour."

"So where do you want to go? Joe's?" Addison queried.

"No, let's go some place where we can dance," Callie said, growing more and more excited by her idea.

"Okay, but I'll only agree to this on one condition," Arizona said.

"What?"

"You weren't even supposed to be working today, and you've had two surgeries. You have to go home and take a nap – a long nap."

"Arizona."

"Promise me, Callie. You need to rest."

"Fine," she huffed, but secretly she was pleased with how caring and protective Arizona was acting. "I'll go home after I track down Yang and the Greys."

"Thank you," Arizona said, kissing Callie's cheek before she stood up. "I'll let Bailey, Teddy and Kayo know."


	20. Dirty Dancing

**Nothing Comes Easily – By Captstarbuck**

**AN: This is, for the most part, Calzona, but Arizona-centric, with lots of other Grey's characters, especially Arizona's friendship with Teddy. It's slightly AU/Mostly Canon – Starts just before Arizona returns from Africa and varies a bit in the story of bringing them back together. Let's just say I bend the timeline and modify a few scenes to suit my own purposes.**

**AN2: Thanks again to Stacy, the ultimate beta-reader. And also a special thanks to ****pens_co927**** who keeps after me to write, even when she's annoying.**

**Disclaimers – All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual. (I don't own any of the characters from Grey's Anatomy. All of that belongs to Shondaland et al. I just wanted to take them out and play)**

**AN3: Apologies for not having posted in so long. A good part of this was written months ago, but I've been distracted with one-shots, co-authoring a Halloween story, and writing a Secret Santa fic. Thanks to all who continue to read and review.**

Chapter 19 - Dirty Dancing

Arizona fumed and grumbled the entire walk from the hospital to the building across the street. Once more Stark (that little toad of a man) had interrupted her plans and now she was late. Again. With an angry sigh, she stabbed at the elevator button and waited.

Arizona was not a religious person by any stretch of the imagination. Science was her religion. Her faith was in her family and friends. With all that had happened over the past few months, however, she was beginning to wonder if working for Stark was some sort of additional karmic penance she had to do because she'd left Callie in airport. She'd bitterly accepted that raising a child with Mark Sloan was going to be a life-long penance. Raising a child with Callie? Not penance, but a second chance. Thinking about her girlfriend and the baby brought a smile to her face, erasing the scowl that had graced her face from the moment she'd stepped out of the hospital.

"Callie, I'm home," she called out, closing the door behind her. "Sorry I'm late," she apologized, tossing her coat and purse on the sofa.

"In the bedroom," Callie answered.

"I've got just enough time to change my clothes," the blonde said walking into the bedroom.

Arizona stopped dead in her tracks. Callie was dressed and ready for a night out with the girls. She was wearing a tight pair of jeans and a low-cut tight purple top. As a doctor, Arizona knew Callie's breasts couldn't have gotten larger this quickly from her pregnancy, but the cleavage Callie was now showing made her gasp.

"What?" Callie asked, her hormones suddenly making her insecure. "Am I fat?"

"No… not fat… hot…" the blonde stammered.

Realizing that Arizona was now looking at her with undisguised lust, Callie smirked. "Close your mouth, Arizona," she said with a laugh as she walked over to the blonde. "We don't have time."

"Can't we stay home?" Arizona pleaded with just a hint of a whine in her voice.

"No. We are the ones that invited everyone else. Besides, since I'm not drinking, I'm one of the drivers." She placed a light kiss on Arizona's cheek as she headed out of the room. "You still need to change and we need to be back to the hospital in fifteen minutes."

Arizona thought she'd give it one last try. "Are you sure we can't skip tonight?"

"Yes. This is probably the last time I'll be able to get into these pants," Callie replied with a frown. "It won't be long before I'll be looking like a beached whale."

"Never. You'll always be 'hot', Calliope," Arizona said as she pulled her top off.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Callie pulled her aqua blue T-Bird into the employees' parking lot. She spotted the small group of waiting women by the doorway. Addison was laughing at something Teddy had said and Yang and Meredith appeared to be passing a small flask back and forth.

"Where's everyone else?" Callie asked the women as she and Arizona got out of the car.

"Kepner and Lexie went with Bailey to get her car," Teddy explained. "Kayo isn't here yet."

As Bailey parked her car behind Callie's, Kayo approached the group.

"Evening all," she said. "Sorry I'm late."

Kayo took a quick look at the doctors congregating. She realized then that it was the first time she'd seen most of them in something besides scrubs. As a whole, they cleaned up pretty nicely. And of course, Kayo couldn't help but notice that Addison was in a short skirt and wearing what Kayo thought of as come-fuck-me-pumps.

"So, who's riding in which car?" Bailey asked. "I've got room for five."

"And I can take five." Callie said as she opened the passenger door.

Addison settled into the back seat as Kayo started to follow.

"I'll go with you," April said enthusiastically.

"Big surprise there," Cristina called after her as she waited her turn to get into Bailey's car.

"What's that supposed to mean?" April asked, turning around.

"Well, duh, your big gay crush is riding with Callie."

"What are you talking about?" April's cheeks reddened.

"Everyone knows you have a crush on GI Jane."

"I do not," April protested. "I don't have to ride with Callie."

Callie rolled her eyes and Arizona laughed.

"I'll switch with you, Kepner," Teddy offered as she began to get out of the front seat of Bailey's sedan.

"Oh no, you are NOT leaving me without another adult," Bailey said, pointedly looking at Lexie, Meredith and Cristina already crammed in the back seat. "You sit your ass back in my car."

"I'll ride with Callie," Lexie said, getting out of the backseat.

"Can we just get on with it?" Callie whined.

A few minutes later and the two cars were on the road.

"What's that all about?" Addison asked.

"What?" Kayo asked.

"Kepner."

"Don't know," the Trauma surgeon said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Oh, she's got a crush on Dr. Dwyer," Lexie said matter-of-factly.

"Really?" Addison raised an eyebrow, noting how Kayo shifted uncomfortably beside her.

"Not really a crush," Arizona explained. "It's more like a case of hero worship."

"And why's that?"

"It's nothing," Kayo said dismissively, hoping that conversation would move on to another topic.

"Some patient's drunk husband attacked Arizona in the ER. He was about to go after April but Dr. Dwyer jumped in to stop it. He headbutted Dr. Dwyer and she put him to the floor. It was awesome."

"And couple that with what happened in the ER today, it's no wonder that Kepner feels that way," Arizona added.

"Was anyone hurt?" Addison asked, concerned.

"I don't think anyone was hurt today."

"No injuries today," Kayo said curtly.

"You had a concussion and stitches from that patient's husband, right, Arizona?" Lexie said.

The blonde nodded, looking over her shoulder at the women in the back seat. She felt her girlfriend's grip tighten on her hand and she squeezed it back. "Just a mild one and it was only a few stitches."

"And Dr. Dwyer was hurt as well," Lexie added.

Kayo wished the younger woman would just shut her mouth.

"Anything serious?" Addison asked.

"No. I'm fine."

"Mark did a good job with your stitches," Lexie continued. "You can hardly see where you were cut." Lexie leaned over so she could face Addison. "Dr. Dwyer had a concussion, broken nose and two facial lacs."

"Ever heard of HIPAA, Grey?" Kayo said scowling.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Dr. Dwyer," she apologized. She straightened up, her cheeks pink with her embarrassment.

"Just… let's not talk about it anymore, okay?" Kayo grumbled.

"Whatever you say, Dr. Dwyer."

They rode the rest of the way to their destination in silence. Lexie kept internally berating herself. Once again , she couldn't stop herself from talking. She consoled herself by staring out the window for the remainder of the ride.

Kayo couldn't help but let her gaze drop to the shapely legs belonging to the woman seated beside her. When the legs suddenly uncrossed and then recrossed she knew she been caught, and when she looked up, she found the redhead giving her an amused smile.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Drink in hand, Kayo leaned back in her chair and looked around the table. For a 'girls' night out', it seemed pretty tame. Granted, her nights out in the past had revolved around heavy drinking and inappropriate behavior, but that had been in a totally different setting. She wasn't sure what to expect when Arizona had invited her out, but this sedate bunch of doctors wasn't it. For sure, everyone was drinking heavily, with the exception of Torres, but nobody was interacting much except with whom they were seated next to.

Little Grey and Kepner were sipping their drinks and talking quietly. The older Grey and Yang were pounding their drinks down and pretty much ignoring everyone else as they talked about surgeries they'd been performing. Bailey and Addison, an odd couple if Kayo ever saw one, looked to be engrossed in a conversation that only two old friends could share. Arizona and Torres, despite the looks they were exchanging that clearly indicated that they wanted to be elsewhere, were at least including Teddy in their conversation.

_This is too boring_, Kayo thought. _We need to liven up this group_. She stood up and made her way to the other end of the table.

"Yang."

"Dwyer."

"Come with me."

"Excuse me?"

"Do you like tequila, Yang?"

The Resident held up her nearly empty glass and gave her a look as if to say "Well, duh".

"You've got good hands, right?"

"The best," the Resident said confidently.

"Then come with me."

Cristina Yang was a little buzzed from the tequila she'd already had, and she was intrigued. Shrugging her shoulders at her best friend, she got up from the table and followed Kayo.

As they stood in line at the bar, Kayo turned to the younger woman. "Know any good drinking games, Yang?"

Cristina smiled, now understanding what the Trauma surgeon was up to. "Oh, yeah, I've got a few."

"Good."

"So why did you need me to come with you to the bar?"

"I trust your hands, Yang. And for what I'm getting, I knew you wouldn't let me down." She signaled the bartender over. "Give me a rack of fifty tequila shooters and a rack of twenty-five," she ordered.

"I like the way you think, Dwyer," Cristina said, watching the bartender fill the small test tubes with tequila.

"I knew you'd understand, Yang."

After throwing a wad of cash on the bar, she handed the smaller rack to the Resident. "So, what game shall we play?" Kayo asked, picking up the larger rack.

"Well, 'never have I ever' is always a good one."

Cristina liked the game for the endless possibilities of trouble it could stir up. It was always good entertainment and drama in her eyes. Add in the tequila, and it was a win-win as far as she was concerned.

The two women returned to the tables that had been shoved together and set the drinks in the middle.

"That's a lot of tequila," Teddy commented.

"Yang and I decided that it was time for a little drinking game."

"This is not good," Bailey murmured, knowing how Yang's ideas usually turned out.

"It'll be fun," Kayo said, returning to her seat between Teddy and Kepner.

"Change in the rules for you,Kepner," Cristina said. "You have to drink two shots instead of one if you answer yes."

"What? Why?"

"Because you're such a prude and all virginal you'll never catch up to the rest of us."

"That's not fair."

"It's either that or have a shot when you haven't 'ever'," Cristina offered. "Your choice."

The redhaired Resident hadn't had drank enough yet to impair her judgement. She thought about it a minute. "I'll drink the two shots if I ever have."

"Good. Wouldn't want you to feel left out." Cristina turned back to the other women at the table. "Who wants to go first?"

"It's your game, Yang. You go first," Kayo said.

The Cardio-obsessed Resident looked around the table. A sly smile came to her face when she set her sights on her best friend's sister. "Never have I ever broke a penis."

The younger Grey's face flushed bright red. She gave Cristina a dirty look before reaching for a shot.

"That was you?" Bailey exclaimed as the others around the table laughed. "You broke Sloan?"

"Yes," she sighed, then drank the shot of tequila.

Arizona cupped her hand over her mouth and whispered to Teddy."Too bad she didn't break it permanently. Who do I have to hit with a brick for fixing him?"

Teddy snorted once. "Next time Sloan annoys you, just tell him to 'Get Bent'," she whispered back.

Arizona nearly spit her drink out as she choked on her laugh. She felt Callie's strong hand on her back within seconds.

"You okay, Arizona?" Callie asked, curious as to what Teddy had said.

The blonde nodded that she was fine and took a sip of her drink.

Meredith reached into the rack and took out a tube. Before the others could protest, she stated, "Never have I ever had sex in an on-call room." She quickly tossed back her shot then returned the empty tube to the rack.

The only shock at the table was Bailey tossing a shot back.

"Bailey? You?" Callie asked, her surprise at the General surgeon making her voice nearly squeak like Kepner's. "When?"

"I don't have to say anything, right? I just have to drink," she said with a tone that dared any one to probe any further. "Your turn, Grey," she said, looking at Lexie.

Lexie looked directly at Cristina as she exacted her revenge. "Never have I ever been left at the altar," she said with a smirk.

"Bitch," Cristina muttered as she drank a shot. "Your turn, Virgin Mary," she said looking at April.

"Um… never have I ever dated a patient."

When no one drank, Kayo turned to her best friend. "Drink up, Bear."

"What? Why? I've never dated a patient."

"What about Henry, your _husband_?" Kayo pointed out to the laughter of the other women.

"I never dated him."

"No, you just _married_ him. It's the same thing. Now drink."

Teddy frowned at her friend but decided it was not an argument worth having. She drank down her shot of tequila.

"Guess it's my turn," Kayo said. "Never have I ever been caught having sex," she offered, reaching for a shot.

Bailey stared at the others. "I expect to see everyone at this table having a drink because I think I've caught every single one of you." She considered what she'd said. "Except you and Kepner," she corrected, looking at Teddy.

Bailey was right as everyone at the table, except Teddy and April, drank down a shot.

"Hmmm… what will I ask," Teddy thought out loud. "Oh, okay, I know." She pulled one of the test tubes from the rack. "Never have I ever had sex with a man," she said, drinking her shot.

No one was surprised when Kayo and April didn't drink, but they were surprised that Arizona didn't drink either.

"Never, Robbins?" Yang asked, her voice laden with skepticism. "Dwyer, I can understand and we all know Kepner's a virgin. But you?"

"Gold star lesbian," the blonde said smugly.

Callie leaned into her girlfriend and whispered into her ear, "So that makes you a virgin, huh?"

"Call it what you want, Calliope." She sat up and pondered her question. "Okay, I've got one." She picked up a shot. "Never have I ever gone cow-tipping."

"Say what?" Cristina said, speaking for almost everyone at the table.

"Cow-tipping, Arizona? Really?" Callie stated. This was clearly one of those times she didn't understand her girlfriend.

"Oh, I have," April said with a smile.

"Me, too," Teddy chimed in. She realized everyone was looking at her. "I was a farm girl, too," she explained.

"What the fuck is cow-tipping?" Yang asked.

"If you have to ask, you've never done it," Arizona replied. "Your turn, Calliope."

"Cow-tipping," Callie muttered, shaking her head. "Okay. Never have I ever gone on a blind date."

Everyone at the table drank a shot. All eyes were on Addison for the next turn. She looked around the table. She considered a couple of mean-spirited comments, but decided to take the high road.

"Never have I ever streaked."

Meredith and Lexie both picked up a shot.

"Does it count if I was a kid?" Arizona asked, her hand hovering over the rack of test tubes.

"Yes," Callie said. "And I want to know the story behind that one."

Arizona tossed back her shot. "I was little, maybe seven or eight years old. Tim and I streaked my mom's garden party."

Callie laughed out loud, knowing how horrified Barbara Robbins must have been. "Why would you do that?"

"My dad was overseas and my mom thought she needed something to do, so she joined a garden club. It wasn't what she expected and she was really bored. She was always complaining about it. Tim thought we needed to give her an excuse to leave it and he thought it would be a good idea. So we did," she said. "That sure stopped any exhibitionist streak in me, that's for sure."

"You turn, Bailey," Yang said, trying to get the drinking back on track.

"Never have I ever kissed a girl."

Cristina and Bailey sat unmoving. Surprising the group, Teddy, Meredith and Lexie quickly downed a shot. Addison drinking her shot didn't surprise the women all that much.

"Really, Addison?" Callie asked.

"All girls school, Cal," she said simply.

"Does it count if I was just a teen?" April asked. "It didn't mean anything," she stammered. "We… I just wondered what it was like."

"Yes. Drink up both of your shots," Cristina ordered.

"And you never have, Cristina?" Arizona asked.

"Gold star_ straight_ chick," she said with a smirk.

Cristina filed away the fact that her mentor had quickly and quietly downed a shot. She wondered if there was more to the friendship between the Cardio surgeon and the Trauma surgeon who were sitting next to one another. She decided to keep it in mind for when it was her turn again to pose a question.

"Round one complete," Yang said. "Let's dance."

She pulled her best friend up out of her chair and dragged her onto the dance floor, April and Lexie following.

"They call that dancing?" Kayo asked Teddy after observing the foursome that was now dancing.

"Apparently."

"That is not dancing. Grey looks like she's having a seizure and Yang looks like she's got Tourette's," the Trauma surgeon commented.

Teddy snickered. "Maybe we could show them a thing or two?"

"I suppose."

The two friends got up from the table and headed for the dance floor.

"Do you want to dance, Calliope?" Arizona asked, then turned to Addison. "Is that okay, Addison?"

"Nothing too strenuous."

"Hah," Bailey snorted. "Strenuous? Those two? Dancing is nothing compared to what they've been doing in on-call rooms."

"Bailey!"

"Go on. Do your thing. I'm going to sit here and finish my drink," the General surgeon said.

"Go ahead," Addison said. "I'll keep Miranda company and we can keep an eye on the drinks."

Hand in hand, the couple made their way to the others. Arizona put her hands on Callie's hips and drew her close.

"I like Addison's suggestion," Arizona said, resting her chin on Callie's shoulder.

"What's that?"

"Nothing too strenuous means dancing slow and close. I like that."

"Mmmhmm. I bet you do."

"And I like it even more when you don't wear heels and I do." She moved so she was behind her girlfriend, the front of her body pressed up against Callie's. "I like it when we're close to the same height," she whispered into Callie's ear. Her hands slowly slid from Callie's hips to her front where she lovingly and protectively cupped the small swell of the Latina's abdomen. "I love you and I love our baby."

Callie felt the tears well up in her eyes as she covered Arizona's hands with her own. "I love you, too."

They stayed together in their own world for another song before they noticed the antics of their friends. Kayo and Teddy had been drunkenly grinding against one another, taking turns at dancing behind the other. Before long, they were both trying to teach April and Lexie.

"Look at that. I don't know which is more disturbing. Teddy knowing how to dance like that or Lexie and April trying to dance with Kayo," Arizona said with a laugh.

"Who knew Teddy could move like that?" Callie added, turning back around in Arizona's arms so she faced her once again.

"Well, it's certainly a surprise to me."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Several songs later, the women returned to the table. Yang was eager to drink and to play another round of their drinking game. There were still shots left and she was determined not to let it a single drop of tequila go to waste.

April's face was flushed and it wasn't just from the physical aspects of dancing. She sat down quickly at the table and gulped her drink. Even under the influence, Cristina was an acute observer of human behavior.

"Y'know, Kepner, if you sleep with GI Jane, you'll still sort of be a virgin," she cracked.

"What? Sleep with Dr. Dwyer?" April sputtered.

"Relax, Kepner, I don't sleep with – "

"Virgins?" Cristina cut in.

"Of course I don't."

"How about straight women?" Lexie queried. "Do you sleep with them?"

"Definitely, yes." Teddy laughed. "Though I'm not sure how straight they are afterwards."

"What about bisexual women?" Addison asked.

Teddy once again answered. "Those, too."

"Excuse me, but I can speak for myself," Kayo said, glaring at her friend.

"Then what women don't you sleep with?" Meredith asked.

"Interns and residents," Kayo answered, her eyes narrowing.

"Good to know you have some standards," Callie said with a smirk.

"Why ask me? Why are you all so interested in my… my… um… sexual habits? I'm not the only lesbian at the table."

"But Callie and Arizona, they're a couple, and hence, off-limits. You're the only single lesbian here," Lexie said.

"And we already know way more than we want to about theirs," Cristina added.

"I don't ask you all about your sex lives."

"Why not? You could."

"Quite frankly, your straight sex lives hold no interest for me." Kayo leaned back in her chair and smiled. "Which makes me wonder why you're all so interested in lesbians."

"Touche'" Addison said under her breath so softly that only those sitting closest to her heard.

"Let's get more drinks before we start another round," Meredith said, tugging Cristina to her feet.

"Okay."

Kayo picked up her bottle of beer and took a long swallow.

"I totally get it, y'know," Lexie said suddenly.

"What?"

"The lesbian thing. I mean, I'm not, but I get it."

"Good to know," Kayo said with a grin as she finished her drink, not really sure what Lexie 'got'.

"I just wouldn't… you're not my type… if I did… I mean… you… what's the point? If I was going to sleep with a woman, I'd pick someone like… like Callie."

"Me?" Callie's eyebrows shot up.

"I'd sleep with a woman who was… you know…"

"More womanly?" Kayo offered, her grin widening.

"Exactly," Lexie agreed, nodding. "Softer."

"Should I be insulted?" Callie asked.

"Oh, not at all, Calliope. I 'totally get' what Lexie's saying," Arizona said, her hand dropping to Callie's thigh. She leaned closer, her teeth gently nipping Callie's earlobe. "Totally," she whispered huskily. "I love your curves… and your softness."

Callie's cheeks reddened and she smiled. She knew Arizona had moved into the "handsy" stage. She knew it wouldn't be long before Arizona got into the flirty stage and she looked forward to it.

"Or even Arizona," Lexie continued.

"Now I'm insulted," Kayo huffed.

"Consider this, Lexie," Addison said. "With Kayo, you get the best of both worlds."

"How so?" Lexie was curious.

"Excuse me. Sitting right here," Kayo interrupted.

"With Kayo, on the outside you get a body more like a man, but sexually, all the right parts are definitely a woman."

"Now I really am insulted," Kayo said, staring at Addison. The redhead sipped her drink and gave Kayo a subtle wink.

Meredith and Christina set the round of drinks on the table.

"What'd we miss?" Meredith asked, sitting down.

"Lexie told us why she'd sleep with Callie or Arizona, but not Dr. Dwyer," April explained, her words slightly slurred.

"Lexie!" Meredith exclaimed.

"Damn. We miss all the good stuff," Cristina mumbled, sitting down beside her best friend.

"I didn't say I'd sleep with Callie or Arizona," Lexie protested.

"Did seeing them in the shower do something for you, Little Grey?" Cristina probed. 

"No! Of course not!"

"You saw Callie and Arizona in the shower together?" Meredith asked.

Arizona blushed and buried her face against Callie's shoulder.

"Don't tell Sloan that," Teddy and Addison said at the same time.

"It's no big deal, you know," Cristina interceded. "You should see the places I've caught them."

"Yang!"

"What? I lived with you two. I don't know how long it took before I could even look at the kitchen counter after that – "

"Cristina, filter," Meredith said, trying to stop her friend.

"And don't even get me started about the broken coffee table."

"Enough, we get it," Callie said, glaring at her former roommate.

"You know, if I really think about it, if you two are any indication of an average lesbian couple, then maybe we're all missing out," Cristina mused. "I mean it. Their sex life, at least when I was living there, was pretty hot." She took a drink. "Hot, if frequency and decibels have anything to do with it."

Meredith clapped her hand over Cristina's mouth, while everyone else at the table laughed, with the exception of the subject of Cristina's observations. Callie almost looked smug, but Arizona looked like she wanted to crawl into a hole and die.

"Enough," Bailey said. "It's been bad enough with all your dirty dancing. I do NOT need to hear about your nasty sex lives." She turned to Callie and Arizona. "I would think that with Callie being pregnant you'd slow down."

"Not with the hormonal surges she's been having," Arizona muttered under her breath. "Not that I'm complaining or anything."

"But no, not you two, the resident lesbian couple. I'm tired of having to knock on every closed door before I open it," she huffed. "And you," the dark general surgeon continued, pointing at Kayo, "should find someplace more private for your sexcapades. You are almost as bad as Mark Sloan."

"Time for another round of our game," Teddy cut in, trying to get the focus off her friends. "Arizona, why don't you start?"

"Umm… okay… um… never have I ever gone commando in the OR."

"What's that?" April asked.

"Seriously? You don't know what that means?" Yang said.

"No."

"Not worn underwear," Lexie explained to her friend.

The only ones who didn't pick up a shot were April and Cristina. Once again, all eyes flew wide open when Bailey picked up a shot.

"What?" the Attending said. "You've never been paged for an emergency when you were taking a shower? I had a patient crashing and I barely had time to get scrubs on."

Several of the surgeons nodded their head, each having been in the same position at least once.

"My turn," Callie said. "Never have I ever had sex with a co-worker."

Unsurprisingly, everyone around the tables, with the exception of April drank.

"You, Bear? Who?" Kayo asked her friend.

"Sloan," she mumbled under her breath.

"What? You and the manwhore?" Kayo was both shocked and disgusted.

"Yes, me," Teddy said, reaching for her bottle of beer.

"Oh, Teddy and Sloan dated for a short time last year," Arizona offered.

"That's just wrong, Bear. I may have to re-think my friendship with you. What were you thinking?"

"Wasn't doing a lot of thinking then," Teddy said, trying to defend herself.

"I'd say not."

"Blame Arizona. She's the one who fixed us up."

Kayo turned her head and stared at Arizona, who sat there innocently sipping her drink out of a straw. "Arizona! How could you?"

"Oh, get over it, Kayo," Teddy stated. "We've all made mistakes."

"Yeah, and that one is one hell of a mistake."

Addison suddenly piped up with "Never have I ever mooned anyone."

Callie nearly giggled as she took a drink from her water glass. Arizona cocked her head and stared at her girfriend.

"Really, Calliope? When?"

"Aria and I mooned a tour bus of old people when we were teenagers."

Cristina blurted out, "Moon over Miami."

The table erupted in laughter.

"You probably gave some old geezer a heart attack," Cristina continued.

"Could have been worse. We flashed our boobs once at a trucker," Callie added.

"And caused an accident, no doubt," Addison said.

"No, he was at a stop light. Caused a traffic jam, that's for sure."

"I hope you're still not doing that," Arizona said.

"Of course not, Arizona," Callie said with a roll of her eyes. "Bailey?"

"Um, never have I ever had sex in an OR."

Kayo was the only one who reached for a shot. "Not gonna explain it, so don't even ask," she said.

Cristina looked around the table, trying to decide who to pick on. Remembering an earlier 'never', she focused on Teddy.

"Never have I ever kissed GI Jane."

"Who?"

"Dwyer."

As soon as she saw Teddy reach for a test tube, Yang turned to her best friend. "Pay up, Mer. You owe me twenty bucks. Told you something happened between them."

"Teddy?" Arizona was shocked.

"Um, if I have to drink, you have to drink, too," Teddy replied.

Arizona was drunk enough that she didn't think about the repercussions of picking up a shot. She and Teddy grinned and toasted one another, then tossed back their shot.

Kayo couldn't help but squirm at the glare that the Latina was currently giving her and Arizona. _Oh, fuck. This is not good. This is not how Torres should've found out._

"Arizona!" Callie said sharply, her face becoming red with her anger. "You told me nothing happened!"

"What?" Arizona suddenly realized that she'd made a big mistake. "No. I never said that," she stuttered.

"You did, too."

"Let's go dance," Meredith interrupted, sensing that a major conflict was about to erupt.

"Good idea," Lexie and April chorused, jumping up from their chairs and hurrying to the dance floor.

"Why?" Yang said. "It's just starting to get good."

"Cristina!"

"Seriously, Mer. We just found out that Teddy and Dwyer made out, and McPerky and GI Jane have had a liplock. The lesbian drama doesn't get any better."

"C'mon, Cristina. We don't need to be here for this."

"You spoil all my fun," Cristina grumbled as she let her friend lead her away from the table.

"I'm waiting, Arizona," Callie said.

"For what?" the blonde replied. "I never told you that. I told you that we never had sex."

"You lied."

Addison put her hand on Callie's arm. "Cal, now is not the time," she said quietly.

"Y'know, I'm gonna go… get some fresh air," Kayo said, scrambling out of her chair. There was no way she was going to stick around for the arguments that were sure to follow.

"Coward," Teddy hissed at her.

"Not a coward. Just not stupid."

Arizona bristled at Callie's insinuation that she'd lied and that she'd done more than kiss Kayo.

"Y'know what? I don't have to sit here at listen to you accuse me of doing something I didn't!" She stood up and grabbed Teddy's arm. "C'mon, Teddy. Let's dance."

Teddy looked wildly around, unsure what to do. Her eyes met Addison's and the redhead mouthed "I got it. Go."

"Sure. Okay. Whatever you want, Arizona," Teddy said, following her as the smaller woman marched away from the table.

"She doesn't lie," Bailey said picking up her drink.

"What?" Callie asked, wide-eyed.

"Robbins is a lot of things. Annoyingly perky comes to mind, stubborn, a bit of a know-it-all, but she's not a liar," the General surgeon stated. "If she said she didn't lie, she didn't."

"I don't know Arizona very well," Addison chipped in, "but I don't think she lied either. Did she really say nothing happened?"

Callie thought back to the conversation she'd had with Arizona in an on-call room. "She said they hadn't had sex."

"So she really didn't lie."

"No, but she didn't tell the truth."

"Are you more upset that she didn't tell you the whole truth or that she kissed someone else?"

"And you really can't be upset that she kissed Dwyer," Bailey said. "You weren't together. Besides, it's obvious **you** were doing more than kissing while you were broken up." Bailey's eyes glanced downward.

"You need to talk to her, Cal," Addison said gently to her friend. "Not now, but soon."

"I know, I know," Callie said with a sigh.

"A good step in the right direction would be to apologize." Addison smiled. "That you can do now."

Callie got up from the table and half-sauntered over to the others who were still dancing. She saw Teddy's eyes widen, then darken when she spotted the Latina. Callie put a finger to her lips to indicate that Teddy should keep quiet. The Cardio surgeon frowned, but nodded her head.

"Hey, sexy," Callie said into her girlfriend's ear as she placed her hands on the blonde's hips. She felt Arizona's body stiffen beneath her touch and she internally cursed at herself. When Arizona didn't turn around, Callie pressed her body against the smaller woman's back. "I'm sorry," she apologized.

Teddy was still facing her friend and she saw the conflicted look on Arizona's face. She gave her an encouraging smile before dancing away from the couple.

"Arizona?" Callie tried to keep a pleading tone out of her voice.

"I'm still mad at you, Calliope," Arizona said, still keeping her back to Callie.

"I know. But can I just dance with you now?"

Arizona shrugged her shoulders and pressed back against Callie. She wanted to stay angry at Callie, and she knew that later she would be mad, but right now, her body was betraying her. She couldn't stop responding to the feel of Callie's breasts pressing against her back, Callie's hips swaying with hers, Callie's fingers softly stroking her hips.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Once she saw Callie dancing with Arizona, Addison quietly slipped out of the bar. She found the Trauma surgeon leaning against a wall, smoking a cigarette.

"And why am I not surprised to find you smoking?"

"Oh, you know me and my self-destructive streak," Kayo said with a wry smile. "How's it going in there?"

"I managed to convince Callie that now isn't the time to discuss it," Addison said.

"Thanks."

Kayo gave Addison a half-smile. "I suppose I should go back in there and try to defend myself and Arizona."

"I think it might be a good idea for you to steer clear of anyone at the table right now."

Kayo nodded, taking a long drag off her cigarette.

"So… you and Arizona?" Addison asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Just a kiss when we were both drunk and she was pretty sure it was over between her and Torres." _And what a kiss it had been_, Kayo thought. _But there's no way I'll ever tell anyone that_. She took one last puff then put her cigarette out. "We stopped before it went too far."

Kayo became aware that they were standing in the cold, damp air and neither of them had a coat. Her eyes quickly gave the redhead a once over.

"You're cold," she commented.

"A little," Addison said moving closer to Kayo. She leaned over so her lips were millimeters from Kayo's ear. "You could warm me up… on the dance floor."

"I think I can manage that," Kayo answered with a smirk. "Shall we?" she asked, offering her arm to Addison.

Once inside, the two women immediately went to the dance floor. Dancing with Addison was different than dancing with her best friend Teddy so Kayo kept a respectful distance between herself and the redhead.

"Surely you can do better than this," Addison said, moving closer.

"What do you mean?"

"You're dancing with me like I'm your sister," she said with a laugh.

"I don't know you well enough to dance any differently," Kayo said. "Or rather, I know you well enough to behave myself."

"The night's still young," Addison replied, turning around, her back to Kayo. She pushed her body back against Kayo's front and began moving her hips along with Kayo's.

Teddy sat at the table, glad that Arizona and Callie were no longer arguing. They had returned to the table with the others after dancing. Even though they were sitting next to each other, they were no longer holding hands or leaning into one another. She could still feel the tension simmering just beneath the surface and she was uncomfortable. She knew Callie was angry with her for knowing that something had happened between Kayo and Arizona. Being the attention of Callie's anger was not something she enjoyed… not by a long shot… and she wondered what was going to happen when the night was over.

Gulping her beer, the Cardio surgeon spotted Addison and Kayo dancing together. _I don't know if I'd call that dancing_, she thought. _It looks like they're having foreplay out there…_

"Y'know, I may be straight, but that is hot," Teddy exclaimed drunkenly, then quickly shut her mouth when she realized she'd said it aloud.

"What?"

The other women at the table turned their heads to follow Teddy's stare.

"What the hell…" Callie said, growing angry again. "She doesn't quit, does she? She kissed **my** girlfriend, kissed her best friend, and now she's hitting on **my** best friend?"

"Uh, Cal, you have no reason to get angry with Kayo," Teddy defended her friend. "I think what's going on out there is pretty, uh, mutual."

Addison had now turned around and was facing Kayo as they continued to move in sync.

"And I think they're just having fun, nothing to worry about," Teddy prattled on. "I mean, Kayo and I were dancing like that and it didn't mean anything."

Teddy almost cringed at the angry glare Callie gave her. "Y'know, I think I'm gonna go cut in… have another dance with my friend…" she stuttered.

The slender Cardio surgeon pulled herself up and tipsily weaved her way over to the two women. She tapped Addison on the shoulder. "Mind if I cut in?" she asked, gesturing over to the table with her eyes.

The redhead immediately knew what Teddy was implying. "Not at all," she said with a smile as she stepped away from Kayo.

"Thanks," Teddy said gratefully.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After dancing for a few songs, the two friends returned to the table. Kayo wisely sat at the other end of the table, as far away from Callie as she could. The mood at the table had changed and the fun seemed to have petered away. She, Teddy, Meredith and Cristina finished off the remaining shots of tequila without any further game playing.

"Can we join you?" said a deep voice.

"Owen!" Cristina reached out and pulled Owen down for a kiss.

"Derek!" Meredith gave her husband a wide smile. "What are you doing here?"

"We thought you could use some company."

"Or a ride home," Owen added, taking in the various states of insobriety at the table.

"Good idea," Kayo muttered, looking down at the other end of the table. The last thing she wanted to do was ride with an angry Ortho surgeon.

"It's still early," Cristina complained.

"Then let's go to Joe's," Kayo suggested. "We can get a round or two in before closing."

"Maybe more if we leave now," the Cardio resident said. "Good thinking, Jane." She turned to her best friend. "How about it, Mer?"

"No, I think I'll head home." She looked over at April and Lexie who sat slumped in their chairs. "Let's go, you two. The taxi to our house is leaving."

"Bunch of lightweights," Cristina scoffed.

"What about Bailey?" Teddy asked. "She's in no condition to drive."

"She can ride with Torres," Kayo said. "We can get her car tomorrow." She stood up and grabbed her coat. "I'm ready when you are, Yang. Let's go, Bear," she said, helping her friend up.

"Guess we're going now," Teddy announced. "See you all at work."

After saying their good nights to the four remaining women, the two groups left the bar.

"Well, I guess our night has come to an end," Addison said.

"Bailey, why don't you ride with us?" Callie suggested. "You really shouldn't be driving tonight."

"I know that, Torres."

"You ready, Addison?"

"Sure."

The ride with the four women was nearly silent. Addison couldn't help but notice that Arizona sat all the way to the right in the front seat. She was no longer snuggled up against her girlfriend. Bailey kept nodding off, her head snapping up every few minutes when she caught herself falling asleep.

"Think those two will be all right?" Bailey whispered when the car came to a stop, noticing the distance between the two women in the front seat.

"In time."

"Fools. Both of them."

"I agree."

After dropping Bailey off, Callie headed for the Archfield.

"Callie, would you drop me off at Joe's? Unless you two want to join me for a nightcap…"

"No. No nightcap for me," Arizona said.

Callie parked in front of their favorite bar.

"Are you sure, Addison? How will you get to the Hotel? And don't tell me you're going to walk. It's not safe."

"I'll take a cab. I promise."

"We'll do lunch tomorrow," Callie said, getting out of her car to let Addison out.

"Yes. One-thirty?"

"Sounds good. We'll pick you up." She hugged Addison. "Thanks, Addy."

"Anytime, Cal." Addison peeked her head into the car. "Goodnight, Arizona."

"'night, Addison."

Standing up straight, Addison gave her friend another hug. "Talk to each other, Cal," she said quietly.

"We will. See you tomorrow," Callie said, getting back into her car.

Addison waved at the two women before stepping into the familiar bar. It was late but there was still a decent crowd. As she made her way up to the bar she was surprised to see Kayo sitting at the bar, Owen and Cristina beside her.

"Hey there, soldier. Buy a girl a drink?" she flirted, slipping onto the empty stool next to Kayo.

Kayo grinned at her new friend. "Of course. I always buy the pretty ones a drink."

"I bet you do," Addison replied, setting her small purse on the bar. "Where's Teddy?"

"We dropped her off at home. She has to work tomorrow afternoon."

"How about you? Do you work tomorrow?"

"Nope," Kayo said, motioning to Joe. "I'm off for the next thirty-six hours."

"Lucky you."

"Don't know about that," Kayo said with a smirk. "How lucky remains to be seen."

"I'm sure luck has nothing to do with it."

Owen quietly interrupted the two women. "Kayo, we're heading out. Are you ready to leave?"

"Nah," she said, finishing off her drink and tapping the bar, indicating she wanted a refill. "I think I'll stick around until closing. Maybe my luck will change," she added, winking at Addison.

"You aren't driving home."

"Nope. I'll either take a cab or crash in an on-call room."

"Okay. See you Sunday."

Once the couple had left, Addison shifted her seat closer to Kayo. "You don't have to sleep at the hospital tonight, Kayo."

Kayo's eyebrow arched upward and she took a sip of her drink.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Callie pulled her car into the reserved spot in the parking lot next to the apartment building. She'd barely turned the engine off before Arizona had exited the car.

"Arizona, wait up," she called out as she locked the car.

The blonde halted, her shoulders slumping. Her body tensed as she heard her girlfriend approach her. She was still angry with Callie, but she was also a little apprehensive. Sure, Callie had apologized when they were dancing, but she knew the Latina had to be angry as well. Callie didn't do jealousy well and she gave every indication of having a touch of the green-eyed monster lurking behind her deep brown eyes.

Callie placed a strong hand on Arizona's back.

"Why didn't you wait, Arizona?"

Arizona remained silent for a moment, then shrugged her shoulders.

"Are you still mad at me?" Callie asked.

"No… yes… a little," she answered.

"Me, too," Callie admitted, though her tone sounded anything but.

Her hand found Arizona's and they walked into the building silently.

"So… I guess we need to talk," Arizona finally said as they rode up in the elevator.

"Yeah, we do," Callie agreed.


End file.
